Quarterback Rush
by musegirl
Summary: Bella has a chance meeting with college co-ed Edward and is immediately smitten. But how will she handle finding out Edward is a star football player? Will she be his good luck charm or a curse? AU/AH. Fluff, fun, and lemons. Rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first Twilight fanfic, so hopefully it's not complete crap. This isn't meant to be an angsty story, just fluff and fun. This is an adult story, so be 18 or older before reading and if you were offended by the lemons in my last story...don't read this one. You've been warned. More at the bottom.  
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**I don't own anything Twilight, I just like to play.**

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I pulled my long, dark hair into a messy knot as I stood withering in the humid Texas heat, waiting for the bus. Late August in Texas was always brutal, but I'd chosen to go to college here. I scanned the hill, impatient for the West Campus Loop bus to appear at the top. My first day of classes were over and I was anxious to get home and into the air conditioning again. Normally, I'd have hiked across campus, but the one-hundred and two degree temperature with the seventy percent humidity was just too much.

My phone buzzed and I looked to see my best friend and roommate, Alice, was calling. "Hey, Ali," I answered.

"Bells! You coming home soon?" her chime-like voice ringing out over the phone.

"Just waiting for the bus. Why?"

"Perfect, I want to go shopping!"

I groaned into the phone. "No, Alice. I am not going shopping with you. I'm not into masochism."

"But Bella, I need to go and we need to find you an outfit for Saturday," she whined.

I suddenly grew wary, it was never good if the pixie wanted to dress me up for something I didn't recall planning. "Outfit? What outfit? What's happening Saturday?"

"For the first football game, silly!" she laughed.

I snorted, "Again, no, Alice. I'm not going to some stupid football game. As if I give a fuck about football." She started to protest, but I cut her off. "I'm serious, Alice. I have zero interest in going to a crowded stadium of screaming, drunk students in one hundred degree weather to watch a bunch of guys throw themselves at each other over a ball. It's pointless. And boring. I realize everyone else at this school thinks it's the greatest game in the world, but not me."

"But Bella-" Alice began, and I interrupted again.

"The bus is coming, I need to go. I'll see you when I get home" We hung up and I put my phone in my backpack as the bus stopped in front of me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a guy smirking at me. Glancing at him, my breath caught. Damn, he was hot. Really, really hot. Panty-wetting hot. Fuckhot. Brown-ish, red-ish...bronze-ish...crazy sex-hair with the most beautiful green eyes I'd ever seen, like fresh-cut grass. A perfectly straight nose and jaw that were a sculptor's dream and his perfect, totally kissable lips formed that smirk that made my lady parts sit up and take notice.

He lifted an eyebrow to go with his smirk and I quickly looked down, blushing. Fuck, I'd been caught staring. I bit my lip, immediately regretting pulling my hair up so I couldn't hide behind it. I climbed onto the bus in front of him and headed for the back. The bus was only half full so I took an empty seat in the back corner. Looking out the window, I reached up and released my hair and ran my fingers through it. I peeked through the strands and saw Smirkhot-Sex-Hair Guy chatting with someone before making his way further back. I hastily looked away to avoid getting caught staring again. I heard someone rather noisily take a seat in the row in front of me and I turned my head. Smirkhot-Sex-Hair Guy was sprawled across the row of seats and smirking once again at me. Now I became defensive, "What?"

He chuckled lowly and a shiver danced down my spine. His smirk deepened and he asked, "So, going to the game on Saturday?" Oh dear God in heaven, that voice! That smooth, deep, velvet voice. Just that one sentence had my stomach, amongst other things, quivering. What the hell was wrong with me? I'd _never_ reacted like this to any guy before. I was practically panting over him like a cat in heat.

I mentally shook myself and pulled out my trusty friend, sarcasm. "Oh, yeah. I dream of nothing else." I rolled my eyes. "Don't tell me you're going to lecture me on the wonders of football too? I get enough of that from my father. He thinks I'm un-American."

Smirkhot-Sex-Hair Guy laughed again and smiled, shaking his head. "I wouldn't dream of it." He cocked his head to the side, "You're an interesting girl. You don't like football, so I'm guessing you're not much of a tomboy. But you don't like shopping either, so you're not a princess. I can't quite figure out what kind of girl you are."

I bit my lip, trying to fight off my blush. He was trying to figure me out? This gorgeous sex-god had noticed _me_? I was as plain as you could get. Brown hair, brown eyes, with that wholesome girl next door look. Not exactly the kind of girl guys would beat down a door to get to. I glanced back up at him, hating to ruin the conversation this early on, but fearing it would be best to end it before I was too caught up in my fantasies. "I'm the nerdy kind of girl. You know, the librarian type, always reading or studying. Kind of quiet. Boring. So, do you always listen to other people's conversations?" I tried to deflect his attention away from me.

He looked a little embarrassed for a moment, then recovered with a small smile, "No, not always. Just the girls who are too beautiful to look away from." I felt my blush from the top of my hair to the tips of my toes and quickly ducked my head to hide behind my hair. I heard his chuckle again, "Sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you."

I glanced outside; thankfully the bus was arriving at my stop. I stood hastily, almost falling over, but catching myself on the back of my chair. I flushed again; sure he wouldn't have missed my graceful near fall. "Well, this is my stop," I mumbled and walked as swiftly as I dared off the bus.

"Lucky me, it's mine, too," that smooth, velvet voice said behind me and I turned, stopping on the sidewalk.

Nervous about walking with some guy I didn't actually know and wasn't completely sure I wanted to know where I lived, I stalled. "Which way are you?"

He nodded his head in the opposite direction of my place. "I'm that way." He stepped slightly closer to me and I was suddenly aware of how tall and rather well built he was. He wasn't body-builder huge, thank goodness, but he definitely worked out. I could tell from the way his t-shirt hung, he had a hard, very toned body underneath. My pulse raced, and I didn't quite know if it was out of fear or desire. Maybe a little of both.

"I-I'm that way," I squeaked and gestured behind me.

"Too bad," he murmured. "Well, it was nice meeting you..." He held his hand out to me with a one-sided smirk.

"Bella. I'm Bella. It was nice meeting you, too..." I answered and lifted my hand to his.

"Edward," he said as our hands touched. A jolt of electricity ran through me at his touch and I let out a small gasp, looking up into his eyes. He was staring at me intently, still holding my hand. I wondered if he felt it too. Then he smiled, really smiled. This brilliant, crooked grin that literally took my breath away. He softly stroked his thumb across the back of my hand, before releasing it. He leaned close suddenly, his lips close to my ear. "Just so you know, I love the quiet, librarian type. I'll see you around, Bella." He pulled back, grinning again and turned to go.

I stood there, staring after him until he looked back over his shoulder, catching me staring again.

* * *

On Wednesday, I once again found myself waiting for the bus. Though I hated to admit it, if I was being honest, I was hoping Edward would be on the bus again. I'd tried not to think about him on Tuesday, so of course, he was all I thought about. I was pulling out my iPod as it seemed Edward wasn't going to show, when I felt someone behind me. "Hello, beautiful girl."

I fought against the shiver his voice sent through me and felt the unbidden desire to lean back against him. It was a startling sensation and I forced myself to take a step forward and turned to face him. "Hi."

He smiled at me, that same crooked smile and once again I was left breathless. And turned on. "How's your week going?"

I stared at him for a moment longer, before blinking and replying. "Fine. Not too bad yet, although I'm pretty sure I'll spend all semester reading or in the library. What about yours?"

"Not too bad. I'll be busy for sure. Why will you be spending all of your time reading or in the library?" Edward asked as we climbed onto the bus. I noticed people staring as we walked to the back. I figured it was because everyone was trying to figure out what this gorgeous Adonis of a man was doing with plain old me. I shrugged off the looks, excited to just talk to him again. This time, he sat next to me instead of in the seats in front.

"I'm an English major, so there's always lots of reading and writing papers. What's your major?"

"Biology. So, not as much time writing papers, but more lab work to keep me busy. What year are you?"

"I'm a junior, you?" I was fairly certain he was either a junior or senior. I was leaning toward senior given his size and the epic confidence he displayed.

"I'm a junior too. I'm actually taking my first real English class this semester. Writing component and all. My professor said she's easing us in by letting us read _Pride and Prejudice_ first. It's supposed to be easy or something. I'm pretty sure that one's been made into a movie, right?"

I laughed, "Let me guess, British Lit?" He nodded. "There are a couple movies of Pride and Prejudice, actually. They're pretty good, but I'd recommend you read the book. Something is always left out of the visual interpretation. Although, there is an 8 hour BBC miniseries, that's fairly accurate, but I doubt any guy would sit through it without being held at gunpoint. I love Austen, she was a great writer. I prefer _Sense and Sensibility_ and _Persuasion_ as my personal favorites of hers, but I do love Mr. Darcy. He's the male lead in _Pride and Prejudice_." I glanced over at Edward, who was looking at me with a very amused expression. "What?" I asked, realizing I was rambling nervously.

"Nothing, you were just so animated when you were talking about those books." He flashed me his smirk and I blushed.

"Told you I was a nerd," I murmured and he chuckled.

"It was cute. And I might just need a tutor with this stuff. I'm good with science, but English might be a bit more of a challenge." He waggled his eyebrows at me and I shook my head at his teasing. We disembarked from the bus and once again stood facing each other.

"So, I'll see you around," I said, nervous with his staring.

He nodded, "Definitely. Have a good afternoon, Bella."

I couldn't help the small smile that crossed my face when he said my name. I loved how it sounded with this amazing voice of his. "Bye, Edward." His lips lifted into that bright, crooked smile that made my heart flutter and I bit my lower lip. This time I was determined not to be the one caught staring and turned to head home first.

* * *

Thursday night found me out with Alice and my other best friend, Rosalie. We'd opted to go down town to the popular bar area on 6th Street. We were frequenting one of my favorite bars, The Library. Since it was the first Thursday of the year, it was fairly crowded but we were able to find a small table. Alice and I sat at the table while Rose picked up the first round. She made her way through the bar, stopping traffic as she did. Rose was gorgeous and she knew it. A blonde bombshell with dark blue eyes and curves that didn't quit. Add her signature red lipstick accenting her full lips, she was a man eater who reveled in it.

She winked at a group of guys as she passed and they followed her like lemmings. She laughed as she set our drinks on the table, shooing them away. Alice grabbed her cosmo and handed me my vodka gimlet while Rose picked up her martini. We toasted to the new school year and the two of them immediately started in on me. "Bel-la," Alice sang, "It is my mission this year to get you laid."

I stared at her with wide eyes. She might be a tiny faerie-like creature, but I also knew when she decided something, she didn't back down. Her outside appearance with short, spiky black hair, cat-like green eyes, and a very misleading innocent smile, made everyone underestimate the ferocious beast hiding underneath. "Alice, I do _not_ need you to get me laid."

"Oh, really?" Rose jumped in. "So did something happen over the summer we're unaware of? Please just tell me you didn't let that dog Jake worm his way into your pants while you were at home." She pretended to shiver and made a face.

I rolled my eyes, "No, I did not let Jake into my pants. I'm just saying, I don't need help getting laid!" I knew I was being snarky and couldn't make myself care in the slightest.

Alice eyed me. "You met someone," she accused. "You met someone and didn't tell us!"

Perceptive bitch.

"No, no, no. I didn't meet anyone," I stammered, blushing and avoiding both of their gazes.

"Oh. My. God. You did! You so met someone. Who is he? How did you meet? Better yet, when do we get to meet him?" Alice asked questions rapid fire, both she and Rose waiting anxiously.

"N-no. There's not, I haven't... I mean... there's this guy from the bus... but he's not- we're not. I just, shit. Shut up. Both of you shut up. We're changing the subject. Now." I stuttered, blushing furiously and downing my drink.

They both stared at me, stunned. Then the two of them started grinning like mad. "Oh, you totally like this guy!" Rosalie teased. "You are not getting away with this. Tell us everything!"

I glanced at my non-existent watch and jumped up, "Wow, look at the time! I have an early class tomorrow; so I really have to get home. See you later girls, Alice try not to wake me up when you stumble in." I took off out of the bar, not yet ready to share anything about Edward. Because, really, there was nothing to tell. Yes, he was beautiful and I'd thought about him non-stop since we'd met a few days ago. And yes, he had flirted with me on the bus, twice. But that was it and I had to keep my expectations in check; in all honesty, there really was nothing going on between us. I heard Alice and Rosalie yelling at me as I left, but I didn't stop. I ducked out onto the sidewalk, ready to hail a cab and ran smack into someone. A very hard someone.

I would have fallen if strong arms with amazing reflexes hadn't caught me. "Whoa, easy there," an amused, velvet voice said close to my ear.

I gasped and looked up, "Edward?"

He brushed my hair back from my face, "Bella?" His face transformed as he beamed at me. "This is a surprise. Didn't think you would be out on 6th, seeing as you are a self proclaimed librarian."

I blushed, thankful it was dark enough he wouldn't be able to see it. "Oh. Um, some friends of mine made me come out, celebrating the start of the year. I was just going to catch a cab and head home." He hadn't yet released me, and I found myself dreading when he would. I felt comfortable and safe and warm nestled inside them.

His brow drew together, "Taking a cab home by yourself? Did your friends abandon you?"

I smiled softly, "No, I have an early class. I'll be fine."

He shook his head, "I'm not letting you get in a cab alone." I opened my mouth to protest, but he wouldn't let me. "I was heading home anyway, we live close enough to each other we can share a cab. My mother would never forgive me if I let you go on your own."

"Edward..." I sighed, slightly exasperated.

He shifted one hand up to my cheek, softly stroking his fingers along it. "Please, Bella?" he whispered. I nodded weakly, praying my knees wouldn't give out. I may have kind-of-sort-of whimpered. Gah, how was a girl supposed to think when he said and did things like that? All I could do was hope for the strength to not jump him in the cab, because heaven knew my panties were completely soaked at this point. His face turned intense, with an almost predatory look to it and he leaned slightly closer. I held my breath and felt my heart beat double time, pleading in my mind for him to kiss me. Just as his face took on this determined look and his gaze shifted from my eyes to my lips, my phone buzzed, startling us both.

"I will fucking kill whoever is calling me," I muttered under my breath as Edward released me and I fumbled with my phone. I answered it, unknowingly hitting the speakerphone button.

"Isabella Maire Swan! Is that _bus guy_ out there with you? Did you ditch us for him? Although, from what little we can tell, he is pretty hot." Alice's voice rang out loud and clear for both of us to hear.

"Shit," I hissed as I frantically pressed buttons to turn off the speakerphone. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" I abandoned the idea and simply ended to call, putting my phone back in my pocket. I then turned, without looking at Edward and waved a cab over. I slid into the backseat, giving the driver my address and not waiting to see if Edward would follow. I felt him climb in next to me and heard his low laugh as I adamantly refused to look in his direction.

"So, you told your friends about me?" he asked in a smug voice.

I turned to look out the window so he wouldn't even have the chance of seeing the ridiculous blush I had going on. I was kind of afraid I might actually glow in the dark, I could feel so much heat coming from my face. "Nope, no idea what you're talking about." I prayed for the driver to go faster and put my out of my misery. I was definitely not taking the bus tomorrow.

He laughed, "I must be missing the greatest blush of all time. Too bad, it's so becoming on you."

I groaned quietly as I felt my face heat up again. I buried my face in my hands, trying to quell the sense of mortification. I both loved and hated that he noticed how often I blushed.

"Hey, I was only kidding. I didn't mean to embarrass you this much," Edward said in a more serious voice and reached over to pull one of my hands away. He kept my hand in his as I turned my face toward him. He smirked at me, "But you did tell your friends about me." Smug bastard. I narrowed my eyes at him and tried to pull my hand away, but he held on. "So, Isabella Marie Swan, I'm finally going to get to see where you live."

Great, he'd most definitely heard everything Alice had shouted, including my full name. I simply nodded and smiled, with my own reasons to be smug now. "Yep, but if you think you're somehow going to sweet talk your way into getting invited in, you are sorely mistaken."

He lifted one eyebrow at me and I wished the dark didn't hide so much of his expression. "That sounds like a challenge."

I laughed, "I couldn't let you in, even if I wanted to." Edward tilted his head to the side and I sensed his confusion. "You'll see when we get there," I told him. "So Edward, since you know my middle and last name now, what's yours?"

He contemplated my question for a moment, "I'll tell you if you agree to go to the football game on Saturday."

I shook my head, grinning at him. "Not that interested in your last name to subject myself to that torture. Besides, I doubt I could get a ticket this late, even if I wanted to go."

"Would you go if you had a ticket?"

"Probably not. Why are you so interested in my coming to the game?"

He shrugged, "I think you would have more fun than you think." The cab pulled up to my house and I reached for my cash, but Edward captured my other hand, shaking his head at me. Then he glanced out at where I lived. "A sorority house? _You_ are in a sorority? I have to admit, I didn't see that one coming. You truly are a mysterious girl."

"I told you I couldn't let you in even if I wanted to. House rules. No boys past 10pm on weekdays and 11pm on weekends. Sorry, stud. Besides, I'm not your typical sorority girl anyway." I flashed him a mischievous smile.

He gave me that killer crooked-smile and I felt the trickle of wetness between my thighs turn into a river. I needed to get out of this cab and quickly, before I could throw myself at him. "Typical you most definitely are not, Isabella," he quietly murmured and released my hands, sliding his fingers along them as he did. I shivered and his eyes suddenly smoldered. He leaned close to my ear and I held perfectly still, afraid of ruining the moment. "Sweet dreams, Bella," Edward whispered and brushed his lips against my ear. I whimpered, again.

I turned my face slightly to his. "Good night, Edward," I answered, licking my lips as I stared at his before dragging my eyes up to his. We locked gazes for a heavy moment, until I had to look away or risk spontaneously combusting. I fumbled with the door and unsteadily walked up to the front door. I punched in the key code and pushed open the door, looking back over my shoulder one last time to see the cab still waiting there. I lifted my hand in a small wave and went inside. Once the door shut, I heard the cab leave and I smiled that he had waited until I was safely inside before leaving.

* * *

The next day I was practically buzzing with anticipation at seeing Edward at the bus stop again, only to be disappointed. He didn't show. I was crushed and pissed off at myself for feeling that way. It wasn't like I had any real claim on him or his time. I vowed to rein in my fantasies and get a hold on my expectations. I didn't need to be pining away over some guy who was obviously just stringing me along and probably had countless girls at his beck and call.

I stomped into my sorority house, grumbling to myself and planning on going to my room and sulking, when one of the other girls stopped me. "Hey, Bella! This came for you," Charlotte said, holding out an envelope with my name written in neat script across it. I frowned and took it from her. I lifted the flap and pulled out two tickets. Furrowing my brow further, I examined them. They were football tickets. For tomorrow's game. What the hell? I looked in the envelope to see if there was a note, but there was nothing else.

Suddenly, a piercing screech rang in my ear. I cringed and jerked away, seeing Alice right behind me. "Oh my God! Bella! How did you get those? Do you have any idea how fantastic those seats are? You are taking me with you, and no, you are not going to pass up those seats!" She began jumping around excitedly. I just stared at her, then back at the tickets in my hand. Who sent these to me? I had one guess, but swiftly squashed that hope. I didn't want to end up crushed all over again when they weren't from who I thought. I sighed and let Alice drag me upstairs to our room to begin digging through our wardrobes to find me the perfect outfit.

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**So, there you have it, chapter one. I'll try to update once a week, but I make no promises if RL gets in the way. Also, I was epic fail at replying to reviews for my last story and I will try to do better this time...  
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**A huge, giant THANK YOU to A Letter To No One, my fabulously awesome beta, who not only makes my story better but also make my life better. Mo - you're the best! If you haven't read her story, (which I think is fantastic, hence my beta-ing it for her!) One Street Over, GO READ IT NOW! ****http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/6114687/1/One_Street_Over**


	2. Chapter 2

**This is an adult story, so be 18 or older before reading and if you were offended by the lemons in my last story...don't read this one. You've been warned. More at the bottom.  
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**I don't own anything Twilight, I just like to play.**

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The game started at one o'clock in the afternoon, so Alice and I headed over to the stadium with the girls going around eleven. Apparently, this whole football game thing entailed far more than I realized with tailgating before hand and, of course, the parties that night. At least the tailgating gave me an excuse to just hang out with my sorority little sister for a bit. With classes starting, we hadn't had much chance to see one another as much. She lived in the house, but I was in one of the suites in the front of the house, thanks to Alice. The suites were assigned on a point basis, depending on how involved you were in the chapter. Alice was the supreme social butterfly, and therefore on numerous committees and had held several offices throughout our time in the chapter. She also had the right to choose her roommate; therefore I won the comfort of having a private bathroom and a larger, quieter room at the front of the house without all the extra work. The best part of being Alice's best friend and roommate, I would get to keep the same room next year.

Angela, my little sister, lived in the back of the house, where most of the rooms were. There were also communal bathrooms, which I didn't miss in the slightest. Angela was the perfect little sister for me, she was also a shy, quiet kind of girl whose mother had coerced her into joining a sorority. I'd been excited to find a kindred soul and fought to get her as my little sister. Some of the other girls had wanted her, but only to see if they could bring her out of her shell and turn her into a wild child.

"Hey, Little! How was your first week?" I asked as I walked over to join her sitting on the back of some random person's truck. Everyone was friends with everyone apparently. I sipped the Shiner Blonde beer I'd purloined and handed another to her.

"Hiya, Big! Pretty good, and yours?" she smiled at me, swinging her feet.

"Can't complain. Taking any interesting classes this semester?"

"I don't know about the classes, but there is this guy in my calculus class who's really cute. He might be interesting. I'm thinking of pretending I need a tutor or something." She smiled slyly at me and I laughed.

"Why don't you try a study group or something instead of playing dumb? I'm sure there will be stuff you'll want help with, but never make a guy think you're dumb. If a guy doesn't think smart is sexy, you don't want to be with him. It usually means he isn't smart enough to keep up." I winked at her.

"So I hear from my Aunt Ali that you met a guy? What's up with that? Is he the one that sent you the tickets?"

Damn Alice and her big mouth. I flushed slightly; hoping she would think my red face was from the sweltering heat. I sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you, but if I find out you went and told Alice everything, I'll disown you." I mockingly glared at her and she nodded, eager to get details that even Alice didn't have.

"His name is Edward, and yes, he's really cute. Actually, that's a lie. He's not cute. He's hot. Really, really, _really _hot. Like fuckably, deliciously hot." I sighed again, "Which means there's absolutely no hope for me, because really why would a guy as beautiful as he is have any interest in me?"

"Hey! I'm offended. My Big is gorgeous! Seriously, Bella! You are, you just have some sort of mental block about yourself and I've never been able to figure out why." She shook her head at me as some of the other girls approached. We all chatted and hung out and some of the girls ended up quite drunk by the time we headed into the stadium. Alice was bouncing around like a twelve-year-old fan girl as we headed to our seats. Once we found them, I thought she was going to go into convulsions.

"Bella! Ohmygod! Look how close we are, this is amazing!" she squealed, grabbing my arm and jumping up and down. I threw her a look and she made a visible effort to contain herself. People were staring. "Dude, I don't know who you blew to get these seats, but do it again!" she teased in a voice I'm sure she thought was quiet enough, but I noticed a couple people around us look over at me. I glared at her. "Sorry. Kidding, I was kidding!"

I walked to our seats, no longer amused. I crossed my arms as I looked out over the field. I had to admit; we were in the center of the field, on what Alice had called the fifty-yard line, and only about 10 rows up from the front row of seats. Not exactly the student section. I did notice there were some students our age scattered in the surrounding seats mixed in with older adults who were probably rich alumni if I had to guess. The other students here were probably rich children of alumni.

I noticed an extremely handsome couple standing next to us, who smiled at Alice and I. I smiled back and noticed the woman had gorgeous green eyes that reminded me of Edward. With him in mind, I glanced around the stands, looking to see if I could spot him. I was kind of hoping he would be here, if he was the person who had sent the tickets. Sadly, I didn't see him in the crowd anywhere. Taking in what everyone else was wearing, I was glad I had let Alice dress me. I had on a denim skirt that fell to my knees and a burnt orange tank top with a white longhorn symbol sewn onto the front and comfortable sandals. She'd forced me to wear my hair down, but I knew in this heat it wouldn't last. However, most of the girls and women around us were dressed in similar apparel and I was grateful I hadn't worn jeans and a t-shirt. Everyone was wearing bunt orange in support of Texas. I looked across the field and saw a sea of red; our first game was against the University of Nebraska.

The players on both teams came out and school songs were sung. I found myself smiling in spite of all the dreading I had done. Alice was drooling over the players as they walked over to the sidelines. I joined her in checking them out, noticing how great they all looked in the pants. I leaned over and whispered, "Alice, do they have padding for their asses or is that all natural?" Number 17 in particular had a great ass and I wanted to know if it was real or not.

The woman with the green eyes leaned over to me, "They have hip, thigh and tailbone padding, but I think for what you're referring to, it's all natural. Lots of running." She winked at me and I blushed horribly. She laughed and Alice and I laughed with her. "I'm Esme and this is my husband, Carlisle." She held out her hand and I shook it.

"I'm Bella and this is my friend, Alice." We all exchanged hellos, then turned to watch the kick-off. As Alice explained, Texas had deferred to catch until the second half so Nebraska had possession of the ball first. The two teams collided and I tried to follow what was going on. I must have looked confused because Carlisle looked over at me, grinning.

"Do you know much about football?" he asked and I was stunned again by how truly handsome he was. I shook my head, smiling ruefully. "Would you like me to help explain it?"

"Sure," I smiled and he proceeded to help explain some of the defensive strategies being utilized by our team. So far, we had stopped the Nebraska team from gaining the full ten yards needed to keep the ball and it was a fourth down, which was the last chance they had before forfeiting the ball to Texas. I was a little confused, but just went along with what was happening.

Once it was time for our offense to take the field, both Esme and Carlisle started cheering wildly. "Our son is the quarterback," he said proudly and both Alice and I were impressed. I didn't know much about football, but I did at least know that position was pretty important. I overheard the announcer talking about him.

"Cullen, number 17, is this year's starting quarterback. He's risen unusually fast through the ranks, only a junior this year. However, with all the promise he's shown and Major Applewhite's graduation last year, he was the only true candidate for the position."

The announcer went on to talk about statistics and things I had absolutely no clue about and I tuned him out. I focused on number 17 as they started to play again. I had to admit, he looked really good out there. I was hoping he'd take off his helmet so I could see his face at some point. Carlisle began explaining the difference between a running and passing game. A running game was where the quarterback basically ran the ball into the goal and a passing game was where he threw the ball to a receiver who then tried to run the ball into the goal. This was all in the simplest of terms and the actual plays held more complex details to them, but Carlisle said that was the basic premise. Our quarterback was known for his speed, so his main strength was a running game, although he was also pretty good with his passing game too.

We chatted throughout and the game flew by faster than I realized. I had thoroughly enjoyed myself, despite the heat and not knowing anything about the game. Carlisle's knowledge was extremely helpful and while I did spend quite a bit of time waiting for number 17 to take off his helmet, the view of his ass was sufficient enough. He didn't take his helmet off until the end of the game when he was in the middle of the field and too far to really see his face. We won 21 to 7, so everyone was ecstatic. Alice and I bid Carlisle and Esme good-bye and started the long trek home.

* * *

I slept late on Sunday, totally drained by the football game and the frat parties Alice and Rose dragged me to that night. I did leave earlier than them, disappointed I didn't see Edward anywhere. I knew since he wasn't at the game, it was very unlikely the tickets had come from him. I just couldn't figure out who else would have sent them. I pushed aside thoughts of Edward and after a bowl of cereal downstairs in our dining room; I headed back to my room to start reading. My main literature class was beginning Dante's _The Divine Comedy_ and I was reading the first section, _Inferno_. I put on my glasses and pulled my hair into a messy knot on the top of my head and dove into my reading. I was taking notes and highlighting passages to investigate further, based on the lectures we'd had so far, when the doorbell rang downstairs. I heard one of the girls answer it and then shriek excitedly.

I sighed and tried to ignore the distraction. A moment later, full-on screaming from multiple girls ensued and I threw down my highlighter, storming out of my room. It was probably girls screaming over someone being sent flowers or something equally stupid. I leaned over the rail of the front stairs and screamed, "Shut the fuck up! Some of us are actually trying to study!" I stomped back into my room, pleased by the stunned quiet following my outburst. I heard a burst of giggling from downstairs after a moment and I slammed my door. I settled back at my desk, picking up where I left off. I wasn't entirely sure how much time passed, but it couldn't have been more than ten minutes before there was a knock at my door. I cringed. It was probably our house mom coming to talk to me about my little outburst. It wasn't lady-like to swear or scream.

I sighed and braced myself. "Come in, " I called, still focusing on my reading.

My door opened and I heard footsteps. "Bella, you have a visitor," one of the girls told me in a sing-song voice. I furrowed my brow and paused in the middle of the note I was making. I turned in my chair.

"Edward!" I exclaimed, totally surprised. "What, um, what are you doing here?" I stared at him with wide eyes and he smirked back at me.

"Hey Bella, I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by to say hello."

"Oh," I said lamely. I looked at Jessica, still standing there, gawking at Edward. "Thanks, Jess," I said and rather pointedly looked at the door. She took the hint and backed out of the room, grinning at me behind Edward's back. She pulled the door almost shut, enough that no one could see in, but still open so that we were abiding by the house rule of no closed doors with a boy in the room.

I stood up, nervous about having a guy in my room. "Do, uh, do you want to sit down?" I looked around my room, noticing the only places to really sit were the chair at my desk or Alice's desk, the floor, or my bed. Alice had a loft bed so was raised high enough you couldn't really sit on it. Her desk was underneath the bed to save space.

Edward glanced around and gestured toward my bed. "Can I sit there?"

"Sure, that's my bed," I answered, grateful I'd made my bed this morning. I followed him over, conscious of what I was wearing. I had on black yoga pants and a blue t-shirt with no bra. I knew my hair was a mess and I was wearing my glasses. I hastily pulled my glasses off and set them on my nightstand as I sat on the bed, leaving a modest distance between us.

Edward lifted one corner of his lips, "I kind of liked the glasses. Adds to the whole librarian image you have going." I felt my face heat up and looked down at my purple comforter, fidgeting with my hands. I heard his soft laughter, "Bella, I'm teasing. I mean, they are pretty hot on you, but I didn't want you to get embarrassed."

I flushed further at his words, but forced myself to look up at him. He smiled and I offered him one in return. "So, what brings you here? Really?"

"I wanted to see you. Find out what you did with your Saturday while everyone else was at the game. Is your roommate here? Will she mind that I'm here?"

I shook my head, "Alice did not make it home last night. She's at our big sister Rosalie's apartment. At least, I hope that's where she is. I left the party we were at before they did, so I can't say for sure."

"Your big sister?" Edward inquired and lifted his eyebrows.

"Sorority big sister. She's both of ours. Alice and I were inseparable after we met during rush and everyone called us twins. So when it came time to getting our big sisters, we were both picked by Rose. She's great; I'll miss her when she graduates this year."

Edward smiled fondly at me, "Sounds like you have a great family here. That's really nice. But I see you also avoided my first question of what did you do with your Saturday?"

I smiled and bit my lip, looking down for a second. Looking back up, I answered, "I actually did go to the game. Two tickets for ridiculously amazing seats were delivered to me anonymously and Alice forced me to go. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

He laughed and smiled playfully at me, "Nope, wouldn't know anything about that at all. What did you think of the game?"

I shrugged, "I actually had a lot of fun. The seats were next to this nice couple and the guy helped explain the game pretty well." I narrowed my eyes at him, leaning forward slightly, "Why don't I believe you that you don't know where the tickets came from?"

He gave me that panty-wetting smirk and mirrored my posture, leaning in toward me as well. "I don't know, I have no idea where they would have come from."

I had the sexiest guy I'd ever laid eyes on, sitting on my bed and smirking at me. Fuck, I was so turned on right now. I smirked back at him, trying to fight the desire tingling through me. "I think you're lying."

"I think you're beautiful," Edward whispered and closed the short gap between us. He lifted one hand into my hair, loosening the knot and pressed his full, soft lips against mine. My hair fell down around my shoulders as I leaned into his kiss. It was hungry, the way he moved his lips against mine and I let out a tiny moan. Edward lifted his other hand to cup my cheek and traced the curve of my lower lip with his tongue. I eagerly parted my lips and his tongue slid into my mouth, caressing against mine. Fire consumed my body and I felt an aching throb between my legs.

I ran my hands up his chest and into his silky sex-hair, humming with pleasure. I pushed up on my knees slightly, pressing him onto his back and Edward's hands slid along my neck, shoulders and back, finally resting at my waist. His touch along my body sent me into overdrive and I pressed my chest against his, laying us across my bed. He groaned softly when he felt my breasts against him, no doubt feeling my painfully hard nipples against his chest. They felt full and heavy, and I rubbed slightly trying to ease the tingling ache. Edward's thumbs traced small circles against my skin and I whimpered at the electricity from his touch. His tongue explored my mouth at a leisurely pace, along my teeth, the roof of my mouth, but always coming back to slide and tangle with my tongue. It was the greatest kiss of my life and I didn't want to stop.

"Bella, I need your help! Ben, that cute guy I was telling you abo..." Angela's voice trailed off as she walked into my room and stopped dead at the sight of me lying half on top of a guy, making out heavily. Both Edward and I snapped our faces to the door.

Angela's eyes were wide with disbelief. "Oh, shit. Shit. I'm sorry! I-I should have knocked, it's just that you don't, I mean, you've never...um, crap. Sorry Bella!" She turned red and sort of stumbled back toward the door, then froze. "Whoa, Edward Cullen. No freaking way," she breathed.

Wait, who? How did she know Edward and why did the name Cullen sound familiar?

"Cullen...Cullen?" I said to myself, trying to figure it out through my lust-induced haze.

"Bella," Edward said with a hint of worry in his voice.

I jerked upright as it hit me. "The _football _player?" I yelled, "The quarterback? Oh, my God. I'm so stupid." I glared at him. "What, was this some kind of joke to you? You find the one girl on campus who doesn't give a damn about football and didn't know who you were and you play with her? What the hell?" I stood up off my bed and crossed my arms over my chest. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Angela backing out of the room and pulling the door fully shut.

Edward rose, walking over to me quickly. I backed up, warning him not to touch me with my expression. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Bella, that's not what this is. I swear I didn't know you didn't recognize me when we first met. I figured even if you didn't like football you would recognize me. I just, once I saw you I had to meet you. God, Bella, you are so beautiful I couldn't look away. And when you didn't know who I was I wanted the chance for a girl to get to know me. Just me. I didn't have to worry that you only wanted to talk to me because I played football, but because you actually wanted to." He started pacing and ran his fingers through his hair, causing it to fall even more into disarray.

Abruptly, he stopped and looked at me. "Bella, I sent those tickets to you because I thought you would find out who I was. And I really thought you might have fun at the game. Bella, please, there's something here, between us," he gestured between us, pleading with his words and his eyes.

"You thought I would figure it out? Is that why you didn't take your helmet off the entire game? So I could figure it out! The couple next to me said... you had me sit next to your parents! I must have seemed like such an idiot. Did they know? That you had given me the tickets? I told them I didn't know who sent them to me." I looked at him and saw the truth all over his face. "Your parents did know. I really must be the biggest joke to you. Fuck, I can't believe I kissed you. You can leave now."

I stalked over to my door and opened it, "Get out."

"Bella. Please don't, can't we talk about this?" He reached out for me and I stepped out into the hall.

"I'll walk you out." I turned and went down the stairs, not bothering to make sure he was behind me. I opened the front door and held it open with my foot, crossing my arms once again.

"Bella," he whispered.

"Good bye, Edward."

He looked at me for a moment, then sighed softly and walked out. I turned and ran up to my room, letting the front door slam shut on its own.

* * *

I avoided everyone for the rest of Sunday and even Alice didn't hound me for details. I knew she would have heard the rumors of what happened from all of the girls and gotten the real details from Angela. I also knew Angela would only tell Alice and no one else about what she had seen and heard. She was a good enough friend not to let the entire house know what went down.

I forced myself to focus with an intensity I didn't know I had during my classes on Monday and when they finished, I skipped the bus and started walking home. Edward must have been watching for me and saw that I wasn't coming to the bus stop, because he was suddenly walking next to me. I rolled my eyes and sped up, hating when he easily kept up with me.

"Bella, can't we talk about this? Please?" He looked at me with this sad puppy look and I huffed, pulling out my iPod and ignoring him. Edward walked with me all the way to the front gate of my house. I turned to go in and he grabbed my shoulders, turning me to face him. He simply looked at me expectantly.

Sighing, I pulled my earbuds out, "Okay, what?"

"Bella, I just want a chance to work this out. I know there's something between us that could be really good and I don't want my own stupidity to fuck everything up. Let me take you to dinner, please? Give me the chance to talk this out and if you still feel the same way, I promise I'll leave you alone."

"I can't." Edward started to protest, but I put my fingertips on his lips. "It's Monday, I always have a full chapter meeting on Mondays."

He kissed my fingertips and I forced myself not to show just how much it affected me. "That's not a no."

I smirked and stepped out of his hold, "It's not a no." I walked toward the house, leaving him standing on the sidewalk.

"How about tomorrow night?" he called after me.

"I'll check my calendar," I yelled over my shoulder and walked inside. I figured he wouldn't let something as minor as not having my email or phone number get in his way of finding out if I was free or not.

* * *

**Once again, I cannot say thank you enough to A Letter To No One, my fantastically kick ass beta and life coach extraordinaire! She makes me laugh when no one else can and gives me advice when I dump my issues all over her. Go read her story! ****http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/6114687/1/One_Street_Over**

**I'll update again next week and will try not to be fail at replying to any reviews anyone feels like leaving. No pressure...click the button!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**This is an adult story, so be 18 or older before reading. You've been warned. This chapter has lots of cheesy-ness. Lots. I will say that I did go to the University of Texas and was in a sorority so I'm basing some of this story on personal experience, like the cheesy-ness that follows. Sadly, I didn't have the luck to date the star quarterback when I was there so I'm winging it on that one.  
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**I don't own anything Twilight, I just like to play.

* * *

**

I ate dinner with the other girls, chatting happily and ignoring all the looks and questions directed at me about Edward. I was even in a good mood for the meeting, which I normally dreaded because they were so boring. I knew why I'd joined a sorority, but I was not into everything that came with being a member. Having twenty minute discussions on what color shirts we should order or what club we should rent for our next party was not thrilling to me. Thankfully, the executive board tried to keep meetings to an hour or an hour and a half tops.

I was doodling on my notepad when the doorbell rang downstairs. I sighed; the meeting would come to a halt until whoever was at the door left. Jessica ran downstairs to answer the door when singing drifted up to the chapter room. She came racing back upstairs, almost tripping and yelling for us to get downstairs. Half of the girls followed her down and the other half ran to the front balcony. I stayed upstairs, not all that excited. I assumed it was one of the frats 'serenading' us. I'd heard Charlotte had met a guy named Peter at one of the parties over the weekend and figured it was his fraternity out there.

I stood in the back, laughing over the song choice, 'You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling.' The scene from Top Gun where the guys all serenade their teacher was always one of my favorites. I yelped when Alice grabbed my arm and yanked me to the front of the group. Completely startled, I looked down to see Edward out in front on one knee with a large group of football players behind him as backup. They were all wearing their jerseys and smiling and totally hamming up the performance.

I covered my mouth with one hand, laughing at the sight in front of me. Edward looked up and spotted me. He smiled and, still singing, crooked his finger at me. Eyes wide and blushing, I shook my head. Edward winked at me and nodded, crooking his finger again. Alice dug her nails into my arm in warning and I hastily retreated to the stairs. I walked down them, taking deep breaths to cool my cheeks and calm my pounding heart.

Making my way through the girls gathered at the door, I stepped out in front of them. Edward's smile was blinding. I took a few more steps forward and he took my hand as they finished the song. I ducked my head causing my hair to fall in a curtain around my face, shielding it from view. I knew my face was bright red still, but I couldn't bring myself to care when Edward was smiling at me like that. The song ended and Edward rose, grabbing my waist with one hand and supporting my head with the other as he dipped me low to kiss me. I clung to his neck, partly to help keep myself from falling, but also to hold him to me. Even though the kiss was nowhere near as deep as the one we'd shared in my bedroom, I still felt it all the way to my toes.

The girls and guys all cheered when Edward lifted me upright again and I hid my face and grin in his chest. The guys were invited in and I knew someone had raided the kitchen to put cookies and brownies out for the guys and our chapter meeting would be continued next week.

"You make it very hard to stay mad at you if you're going to do things like this," I whispered to him as we walked in, his arm around my waist. Edward just smirked down at me. The girls were all ecstatic to have half of the football team in our house. Edward explained he was mainly able to coerce the freshmen and sophomores into this, with a handful of the juniors and seniors. He introduced me to most of them, and I noticed the younger ones seemed more excited to talk with Edward than with all the girls flirting shamelessly with them. All of them seemed really nice except one guy, James. He was a senior and something about the way he looked at me and held my hand when I shook his creeped me out and I found myself pressing closer to Edward instinctively. Oddly enough, Alice and Rose were on their best behavior and only talked with Edward for a few minutes. I was happily impressed they didn't go out of their way to embarrass either one of us.

After about half an hour, the guys took their leave and I walked with Edward to the door. "So, you'll have dinner with me tomorrow night?" he asked as he held me loosely in his arms. I placed my hands lightly on his chest and nodded, smiling shyly as I looked up at him. He gave me that crooked smiled that was fast becoming my favorite smile of his and kissed my cheek. "Thank you, Bella. I promise I won't do anything so stupid again." I felt his warm breath against my ear as he spoke and I swallowed a moan. Crap, how did he get me so turned on so easily?

"I'll pick you up at seven, beautiful girl." Edward kissed me briefly on the cheek one last time, then jogged out to catch up with the other guys waiting on the sidewalk.

I smiled at them as I slowly shut the door. "Good night, Bella!" Edward yelled just before the door shut and I giggled. Taking a deep breath, I headed back up the stairs to be greeted with squeals of delight and excitement from all the girls waiting for me upstairs.

* * *

As soon as Alice walked into our room the next day, I threw myself at her. "Alice! Thank God, where have you been? I need help!" My face must have been pretty panicked and I heard the hysteria in my voice.

Her eyes widened and her face transformed into horror, "Bella, what did you do? I swear, if you have fucked up your date with Edward tonight I will kick your ass!"

"No, I just don't know what to wear," I whined. "Seriously, I don't have anything and there's not enough time to go shopping. I'm so fucked. He's never going to want to go out with me again."

Alice looked shocked. "Where is my best friend and what have you done with her?"

"Damn it, Alice, I'm not kidding! I'm freaking out here and I've become _that girl_. I hate _that girl_. The silly, stupid, vapid one worrying about what to wear because she wants to impress some _boy_. Fuck, what's happening to me? I've been out with guys before and I never cared about what I wore, not like this. Alice, fix me!" I was on the edge of a breakdown and hated how my emotions were all over the place. I'd swear I was PMSing but that wasn't due to happen for another two weeks.

Alice put her hands on my shoulders, looking me straight in the eye, "Calm down, Bella. Breathe." I did as she asked, inhaling and exhaling deeply. Although I hadn't really thought it would help, I did feel better.

"Good. Now, we will look through your closet and find you something spectacular. And if not, there's an entire house full of girls, I'm certain we will find something. Okay?"

I nodded, feeling better now that she was here and able to keep me from losing my mind entirely. "Okay, thanks Alice," I said weakly. There was a quick knock at the door and Rosalie walked in, smiling happily at me. I waved and wandered over to my bed, sitting on the edge. Rose joined Alice in perusing my closet, automatically knowing what she was doing.

Alice giggled and shook her head, looking over at me from my closet. "You really like him, huh? I've never seen you so strung out over a guy before. It's kind of cute."

I swallowed hard. I did really like Edward but I wasn't entirely sure I could trust him. I was still a little upset about the whole hiding you're the star quarterback thing; plus I felt really dumb for not knowing who he was in the first place. I didn't want to get hurt and I had the sinking sensation that Edward might have the ability to do just that if I let him in. My face must have been an open book to my thoughts because Rose walked over to me.

She looked at me sternly and put her hands on her hips. "You listen to me, Isabella. Stop over thinking everything. Right now. You like him and that's a good thing. Don't let that scare you away. Does it make you vulnerable? Yes. But is the reward worth it if things work out between you two? Abso-fucking-lutely. When Royce broke up with me last year, I thought it would kill me. I'd never imagined myself with anyone else. And when we were together it was wonderful. I know I'm better off without him now, but I wouldn't trade our time together to avoid any of the pain our break-up caused me."

I sighed and nodded. "Okay, I get it. I'm going to do my best to stay open and not worry about getting hurt. At least, as much as I can. Besides, I wouldn't fool anyone if I said I didn't really like him. Because I _really _like him. Shit. I'm so fucked."

"Let's hope," Alice smirked and Rose laughed.

"Yeah, Bella. It's time to cash in that v-card and I can't think of anyone better to give it to than Edward Cullen. Aside from being a finely honed athlete, I'd bet he's definitely packing some serious heat," Rose added, wiggling her eyebrows and smiling slyly.

"Thanks Rose, no pressure or anything. It's a first date, I'm not going to jump in bed with him." At least, I was eighty-seven percent sure I wasn't. I sighed, I knew being an almost twenty-one year old virgin was practically unheard of in this day and age, but I'd never found a guy I'd actually wanted to have sex with. In high school my social life was non-existent, after all, who wanted to date the police chief's daughter? Once I left small town Washington and gone off to college my love life improved, but never to that level. I'd made out with guys and even let one or two round a couple bases, but no home runs. Not yet. I'd just never been turned on enough by any of them to even want sex.

Edward was an entirely different story. He made me feel things I hadn't known were possible. I'd never truly been wet over a guy and all he had to do was smile at me. I was a little afraid if he kissed me the way he had the first time we kissed, I would be more than willing to rip my clothes off and let him do anything he pleased to me. It would not be good to be that girl. I didn't want him to think I was the kind of girl who would just jump in bed with a guy. It was a little silly and outdated, but I wanted to be in love with a guy if I was going to have sex with him. I didn't want to just be in lust with him. And I was completely in lust with Edward; there was no question about that.

"I found it!" Alice squealed from far within my closet and hurtled herself through my clothes. She held up a simple dark blue cotton sundress. It had two-inch shoulder straps with a square neckline and dipped in at the waist. I frowned at it, wondering where it came from. Then I remembered it had been a gift from Sue, my dad's girlfriend. She'd given it to me before I returned to school this year and I must have stuck it in the back of my closet and forgotten all about it.

"Bella, this is perfect, why have you been hiding it from us?" Rose exclaimed as she looked at it.

I shrugged, "I sort of forgot I had it. My dad's girlfriend gave it to me before I came back this fall." I eyed the dress. It was pretty, but not overly dressy. I hadn't ever tried it on, so I wasn't entirely sure how it would look on me. I threw it on and looked at Alice and Rose, waiting for their verdict. It fit perfectly through the top to my waist, falling in an a-line skirt that ended about three inches above my knees. There was a slight gathered edge to the neckline that also repeated on the hem of the skirt to add a little detail to it.

Both of the girls grinned in approval. "That is the perfect dress," Rosalie nodded. "Now your hair and make-up. Sit." She pointed to my desk and Alice ran into our bathroom to grab everything. I protested about doing anything much with my hair and they both agreed it looked best hanging down in soft waves. My make-up was a compromise because I normally wore minimal make-up and didn't want to not look like me. Alice and Rose agreed to just add a touch of smoky eyeliner and pale lip gloss in addition to my normal make-up to accent my eyes and mouth. When all was said and done, I had to admit I looked pretty. Thankfully, all of the prep work lasted until just when Edward was set to arrive. I think Rose and Alice may have gone slower than necessary to keep me from agonizing about the date.

The doorbell rang and I heard squealing erupt from downstairs. Blushing, I started to race downstairs, but Alice and Rose grabbed me. I hated that they made me wait, knowing Edward was being thrown to the wolves and the girls would likely embarrass the hell out of me when I did come down.

After a moment, I heard a chorus of girls yell, "Bella!" up the stairs. Whimpering softly, I looked at Rose and Alice one last time, both of them giving wide grins of excitement and approval. I walked down the stairs, glad Alice had relented and let me wear my black ballet flats instead of heels. I saw Edward as I reached the bottom of the stairs and the way he looked at me, made me feel like a million dollars. He had this look of total awe and reverence before that gorgeous crooked grin slowly spread across his face. Yep, I was so fucked.

* * *

We walked into a small, quiet Italian restaurant with Edward's hand resting lightly at the small of my back. He'd been a total gentleman from the moment he picked me up. He held doors open and told me I looked beautiful and smiled and even listened attentively to the inane small talk I made while trying to hide my nervousness during the car ride.

We were greeted by the hostess and she eyed Edward with wide, appreciative eyes. "Table for two, please, preferably private," he requested in that smooth, honey voice of his.

"Of course," she smiled flirtatiously at him. "Aren't you...Edward Cullen? The quarterback?" She gave him a doe eye look and leaned over the hostess stand, giving us an eyeful of her ample cleavage. Slutty bitch. My self-esteem took a major hit as I compared my chest to hers; it was pathetic how small I seemed in comparison. They were probably fake. And fuck her for knowing who Edward was. I glared.

Edward smiled politely and kept his eyes on her face as he responded. "Yes, I am."

"Oh, this is so exciting! You're like a football superstar and I have to say, even better looking than on TV," she winked at him and smiled suggestively. I hated her. And damn it, why was she so pretty? I was contemplating just turning around and walking back out in defeat, when Edward's arm slid around my waist and he leaned closer to me.

"Thank you, that's very kind. Now, about that table..." He looked over at me and smiled softly. Leaning his head closer to mine he said, "Did I mention you look stunning tonight?"

I just blushed and looked down for a moment. I glanced back up to find the hostess wearing a confused and hostile look on her face as she glanced between Edward and me. That pissed me off. I may not have been America's Next Top Model, but I wasn't dog food either. I smirked at the hostess and pressed closer to Edward. "Thank you, Edward," I said softly and smiled back at him.

She finally led us to our table, in a back corner, and seated us. She glared at me viciously before flouncing off, swaying her hips more than necessary. I shook my head slightly as I scanned the menu.

I heard Edward sigh. "I'm sorry about that Bella. Unfortunately, I get recognized fairly often. Especially here in Austin." He reached his hand across the table, gently grasping one of mine. "But I'm here with you and that's what important to me."

I looked up at him, raising one eyebrow. "Actually, I'm here with you. _You_ asked _me_ out, remember? I'm taking pity on you and giving you one chance to redeem yourself. I'm not going to say what you did was okay, because it wasn't. And singing to me will only gain you a second chance at redemption one time, so use it wisely."

Edward laughed and nodded his head. "Point taken, I will do my best to make myself worthy once again your eyes." I nodded once in acceptance and then began studying the menu once more to decide what I wanted for dinner. Our waiter came and took our orders and Edward glared menacingly at him when he seemed overly attentive to me at first. However, once he noticed who my date was, he promptly forgot I existed. Then all he could do was talk about football and the upcoming season and how Edward was sure to win the Heisman trophy and Texas would be National Champs this year.

I must have zoned out with all the football talk, because the next thing I knew Edward was saying my name and lightly shaking my hand to get my attention back. He laughed, "I guess you really weren't kidding when you said football bored you. At least there's that to be thankful for. It seems like my whole life revolves around football sometimes."

I didn't know how to respond to that, so I just took a sip of my water and waited for him to continue.

Edward ran a hand through his already messy sex-hair and exhaled deeply. "Bella, I know I screwed up with hiding the whole football thing. I honestly just wanted to meet you once I saw you. Like I said, it seems like my whole life is football and everywhere I go it's brought up. I was so relieved to meet someone who didn't know who I was and I could get to know legitimately. Just as me, Edward. I haven't been able to do that in a very long time."

"The last girl I dated semi-seriously claimed she didn't care about the football thing, but all she talked about was what I planned for my football career after college and making sure she was with me for every photo-op possible. She thrived on the attention I had and could bring her. It was part of why I stopped dating her. That, and she was annoyingly petty and shallow."

He paused as out food was served and waited until I'd confirmed my diner was good and I liked it, before continuing. "Bella, I know we don't really know each other well, but I know I really like you and I love that I can just be me around you. The fact that you honestly don't give a damn about football is sexier than I ever imagined. Do you think you could give me a chance and get to know the real me?"

I felt the heat rise slightly in my cheeks. He thought something about me was sexy. "You deliberately hid a part of who you were from me and even had me meet your parents under false pretenses. Who, by the way, never mentioned your first name, so I'm guessing you went to even greater lengths than I originally thought to hide the football thing from me." I arched my eyebrows questioningly and he fidgeted uncomfortably. Looking embarrassed and ashamed he simply nodded, avoiding eye contact with me.

I sighed. Suddenly my eyes stung with tears and I looked down at my plate. "I hope you understand how stupid you made me feel, Edward. It's not like there something wrong with me for not caring about football. It isn't like I didn't recognize the president or the queen or something. No offense, but what you do isn't exactly going to save the world." I tried to hide the tears in my voice without success.

"Bella," he breathed. "Please, look at me?"

Steeling myself, I looked up. Edward's face was stricken when he saw the tears in my eyes. "Oh, shit. I made you cry. I'm so sorry, Bella. I never in a million years meant to hurt you or make you feel stupid, I swear. Oh, God. I really am sorry. I know it's only football, that's why it was so amazing to get to meet someone who didn't care about football and didn't know who I was. I know I seriously fucked up, please let me try to make it up to you. Please, Bella, I know I don't deserve it, but give me a second chance? I know there something between us, I can feel it. Can't you?"

Looking at him across the table, I knew I would be an even bigger idiot than I already felt by not knowing who he was, if I let him go. I knew I'd hate myself forever if I didn't see where this would lead; I could feel the connection between us. "Okay, Edward," I replied softly, "I'll give you another chance, but only if you promise to be honest with me from now on."

His smile was breath taking. And panty wetting. "I swear I'll never hide anything from you again. Thank you, Bella. You don't know how happy you've just made me."

I felt a small smile cross my face. He didn't know how happy it made me either, but I wasn't about to let him know. My expression became stern, "Don't think that I'm going to start caring about football or let you go on and on about it or teach me about it. Because, seriously, I am not into sports and I'm not going to change that just because you're some hot shot quarterback. I just don't care. Understood?"

Edward laughed, "Understood. I promise I will not force you to have to do or talk about anything football or sports related."

"Good," I smiled.

After dinner, Edward took me to Amy's Ice Cream for dessert and then we headed back to my house. He walked me to the door and I was surprised at how much I didn't want the night to end.

"So, when can I see you again?" Edward asked as he tucked my hair behind one ear.

I unconsciously found myself leaning toward him with a smile playing on my lips. "I'll be at the bus stop, same time as usual."

Edward smirked at me, "Funny, Bella." He stepped closer, backing me close to the wall of the house and putting his hands on either side of me. He dipped his head and ran his nose along my cheek to my ear, breathing deeply when he reached my hair. "Beautiful girl," he murmured quietly.

My heart was pounding and my eyes closed involuntarily. When his hand lightly gripped my waist, I moaned softly. I clenched my thighs together, trying to quell the pulsing desire centered between them. I would have to change my underwear before going to sleep.

I turned my face to his and captured his lips greedily. His lips molded to mine, our tongues dancing together with ease. Edward's free hand rested at my neck and jaw while my hands slid up to fist in his shirt. His mouth was soft and warm and he tasted like chocolate ice cream and something I could only identify as pure Edward. It was delicious and intoxicating. I slipped my hands into his hair and pressed my body against his. Edward growled and slid his hand around my waist, holding me close. The kiss became more heated; lips pressing harder, teeth nipping and tongues caressing and dueling. I was about lift myself up and wrap my legs around his waist, desperate to get any kind of friction right where I needed it most. Edward abruptly pulled back, resting his forehead against mine and both of us panting.

"Fuck, Isabella. What are you doing to me?" he whispered and I let out a shaky laugh. I didn't know what was happening, but it was happening to me too.

My chest still heaving, I quietly said, "I should probably head inside." I said the words, but tightened my hold around his neck.

He lifted one side of his lips, his eyes still dark and intense. "Probably." Sighing, he lifted his body away from mine and I whimpered at the loss of contact. "Can I borrow your phone?" Instantly, I drew my brows together. I reluctantly removed my hands from his silky hair and pulled my phone from my purse, holding it out to him. Smirking at me, he pushed a few buttons and pressed the send key. I heard a buzzing come from his pocket and his smirk transformed into a smile.

"There. Now you have my number and I have yours. I'll see you tomorrow, beautiful girl." He lowered his head and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "Sweet dreams, Bella."

I gently smiled at him, "Good night, Edward." I lifted up on my toes to brush my lips against his one last time, before turning to punch in the code for the door. The lock clicked open and I turned the knob, slowly backing into the house.

"Good night, Isabella," he said and our eyes stayed locked together until I finally let the door fully shut.

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**As always, a HUGE, GIANT thank you to A Letter To No One, my fuckawesome beta. I have no words for how fabulous she is, you totally rock my world Mo! Check out her story, One Street Over, you won't be disappointed.**

**Anyone else just thismuch sad over Prince William getting engaged? There goes being a princess...sigh. Although there is still Harry, but he's a little young for me. And being American there's just something fundamentally wrong with wanting to be a British royal, right? Seems unpatriotic somehow... But congrats to the couple, I hope they have a long, happy life together.  
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	4. Chapter 4

**This is an adult story, so be 18 or older before reading. You've been warned. This chapter does have a small lemon-ish part to it, so you've been warned. And we're just warming up. So once again, I implore you to be 18 or older before reading. That is all.  
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**I don't own anything Twilight, I just like to play. I would also like to point out I don't own any of the universities named in this story and mean no disrespect or harm to any of them. Maybe I do own a little teeny, tiny piece of UT...I did pay tuition to get my degree. Okay, ridiculous AN at the bottom, back to B&E.  


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The next day I went to my morning classes and then back to my house for lunch. I was sitting in our dining room, happily engrossed in replaying my date from the previous night and munching on my salad, when a copy of the school newspaper was slapped in front of me. I frowned at it and raised my eyes. Jessica was standing there, gloating and looking as if she was about to burst with excitement. Glancing back down, I didn't see anything that would cause this kind of excitement on the cover of The Daily Texan.

"Um, hey, Jess. What's up?" I asked in a confused voice.

"Look at the cover of the sports section! You're famous! And it's totally good PR for the sorority," she squealed in return.

I tilted my head at her slightly; dread suddenly knotting in my stomach. Looking down with wide eyes, I flipped to the sports section with shaking hands. I choked when I saw the cover. "What the hell?" I yelled, jumping up from my chair. The few other girls in the room looked over at me with surprise. I ran to the front stairs.

"Aalliiccee!" I bellowed, knowing our room was close enough she would hear me, and then ran back to the table.

I was still staring in helpless horror at the cover, when Alice came racing down the stairs and into the room. "What? Who died? What happened? Tell me!" she cried in obvious distress. I just pointed at the newspaper.

On the cover of the sports section was a picture of Edward on one knee holding my hand as he serenaded me. Whoever took the shot was obviously standing at a diagonal to us on the sidewalk; you could see the cluster of football players behind Edward and my sorority sisters behind me. Thankfully, my head was tilted down at Edward and my hair hid my face.

The picture next to it was worse. It was unmistakably of Edward and I making out heavily outside the door to my house. Again, it had been taken at an angle from behind us and the tilt of Edward's head blocked most of my face. Not that it mattered, it still looked like I was about to let him pick me up and fuck me against the wall. It was practically pornographic. And fuck me, but I was disturbingly turned on just looking at it.

"Holy fuck! I look like a whore!" I moaned, sinking back into my chair and burying my face in my hands. "Alice, is my name in that article?"

She quickly skimmed the article, murmuring the words under her breath. "No, there's no mention of your name. You are just the mysterious brunette beauty who has captured Edward Cullen's attention. Basically, the writer wants to know if you are going to be a good luck charm or a curse and fuck up Edward's playing. Plus it mentions you being a sorority girl. No big deal," she shrugged.

I gaped at her. How could she say that? Not only did I look like a two-dollar whore on the cover of the sports section in the school newspaper, but I could also be labeled as a football curse and potentially become the most hated girl on campus. "I look like a hooker and if Edward misses one catch, I could be faced with an angry mob ready to lynch me! How can you say it's no big deal, Alice?"

"He's the quarterback, Bella. He does the throwing, not the catching," Alice absentmindedly answered.

"Who gives a fuck? If he messes up, even once, it will be completely _my fault!_" I was about to have a complete meltdown. Why did the one guy I actually liked and had some kind of weird, deep connection with also have to be the biggest sports star on campus?

Alice started to answer, but my phone rang. Distractedly, I answered automatically, "Hello?"

"Bella," Edward's velvet voice floated out to me. "How's your day going, beautiful girl?" I heard the slightly anxious note to his voice and knew he was calling to see if I'd seen the paper.

"Super. You know, other than the fact that there's a picture of me in The Daily Texan that looks like I let you fuck me against the wall of my house and let's not forget about me being a possible football curse. Apparently, the entire fate of the football season rests on my ability to give good blowjobs in order to not destroy our hopes at winning the National Championship. How's yours, Edward?" I replied snarkily. I ignored the shocked gasps from the girls around me.

"Fuck," he sighed. "I was hoping you hadn't seen the paper yet. I've already stopped by the communications building and made sure you would no longer be the topic of any articles or in any photos unless it is at a football game." He paused for a moment, "And the pictures aren't that bad, I'm pretty partial to them actually. Have you had lunch? Can I buy you lunch to make this up to you?"

Now I sighed. "Great, now everyone on the newspaper staff thinks I'm some whiny, bitchy girl who ran and complained to you and made you go talk to them. Awesome. And that picture makes me look like a two-dollar whore, Edward," I grumbled. "Yes, I've had lunch. I was in the middle of eating when I saw the paper."

I saw Alice go grab food from our lunch options and I rose, stomping my way through the dining room and living room to the front stairs. I was about to ascend them, when a knock sounded on the door. "Hold on, someone's at the door," I told Edward as I walked over to answer.

"Hello, beautiful girl," Edward said, smiling at me and holding flowers.

Instantly, my dour mood brightened. My heart fluttered at the sight of him, and my lady parts suddenly sat up a little straighter. How did he manage to become even better looking every time I saw him? And he brought me flowers. I couldn't help but smile at him and was rewarded with that amazing crooked grin I loved so much. "Hi, Edward," I said, a little shyly. I moved back from the door, letting him in. He handed me the bouquet of flowers and I lifted the flowers to smell them. "Mmm, these smell great. Thank you, Edward. You didn't have to buy me flowers."

"It's the least I can do, after the article and pictures in the paper. Although, I don't think it's so bad, but maybe I'm just used to it. The flowers are white freesia; they were the closest scent to what you smell like. I'm thinking of buying a bunch of freesia plants to put around my apartment so it will smell like you all the time," Edward smirked as he teased me.

I felt my cheeks flush lightly and grabbed his hand, tugging him up the stairs with me. I knew Alice had seen Edward at the door and hoped that if she valued her life, she wouldn't come back up to the room until he left.

Once we were up in my room, with the door technically not shut but for all intents and purposes was shut, I went to find something to put my flowers in. I looked around, locating a large plastic cup in my kitchen cubby in the closet and filled it with water, placing the beautiful blooms on my nightstand by my bed. "The flowers really are beautiful, Edward."

I turned to sit on my bed and caught Edward smiling at where I'd placed the flowers. He moved across the room to claim a spot on my bed, next to me. "I'm sorry about the paper, Bella. I didn't think you would be dragged into all of this. At least not this quickly. Last year it wasn't this bad at all, everyone focused more on Major," Edward caught my blank stare, "He was the quarterback last year." He chuckled and shook his head. "Anyway, I guess I underestimated people's interest in my personal life. I'm sorry, Bella."

I shrugged, fidgeting with my hands, "I can't say I'm thrilled about looking like a whore for the entire school to see or the possibility of getting lynched if you have a bad game, but it's not like there's anything I can do anything about it now."

He reached over and grasped one of my hands, "Bella, please don't let this change things between us. I promise, there won't be any more pictures of us on dates together in the school paper."

I felt the heat from his hand, pulsing through mine. Looking up at him through my eyelashes, I felt my heart stutter. I had no clue what this boy was doing to me, but I knew I had to follow where my heart was leading me. I leaned over close enough to feel the warmth from his lips. "Just don't make me a football curse, okay?" I whispered before brushing my lips against his.

Edward softly laughed, "I promise." His lips caressed against mine and my hands wound into his hair. He leaned into me, pressing me back against my bed as his hands softly kneaded my waist. I sighed against his lips, granting his tongue entry into my mouth. My entire body was tingling with desire, wetness pooling between my thighs. I shifted my hips against his and felt his hard erection right where I wanted it most and moaned at the contact.

Edward made a humming noise and trailed his lips in hot, wet kisses along my jaw down to my neck. He lightly sucked and nipped and licked down and back up again, all the while grinding his hips against mine. The tingling ache I felt transformed into a deep throbbing and I pushed back against his hips with mine. My eyelids fluttered shut and I shuddered with each thrust of our hips. The hard ridge of his cock rubbed exactly where my clit was and the thin cotton of my shorts allowed me to feel every contour and edge combined with the roughness of his jeans. It was fucking bliss. I'd never been so turned on before. For a fleeting moment, I worried Edward would feel my wetness through my shorts, but when his mouth found that spot just behind my ear, it blew all logical thought out of my head.

"_Fuck_, yes," I groaned and gripped his hair tightly with my hands. Edward growled with pleasure and his hands tightened around my waist as he thrust harder against me. I gasped as building pleasure gathered low in my belly. Arching my back, I rubbed my breasts against his chest, trying to gain some friction to ease the aching in them. Edward's lips and tongue kept working that magical spot behind my ear and all I wanted was for him to grind harder against me and feel the weight of his hands on my breasts. Vaguely, I heard soft moans and unintelligible murmurs falling from my lips and answering growls and whispered words from Edward, but all I could do was feel. As if Edward could read my mind, he shifted his long, elegant hands up my shirt to cup my breasts.

"Oh, God, Edward!" I cried when his fingers found my hardened nipples through the fabric of my bra, rubbing and pinching them lightly. His hips ground harder against mine, and my incoherent noises and sighs turned into porn star quality. The coiling, hot tension building at my core snapped and pleasure flooded through my body. I clamped my legs around Edward's hips, rubbing my pussy in short, hard thrusts against his oh-so-hard erection, drawing out my orgasm. My entire body shook and I threw my head back against my pillow. "_Edward_," I groaned with a strangled cry, desperately trying not to scream and praying no one was close enough to my suite to hear me.

In my orgasm-induced haze, Edward captured my lips again, kissing me deeply as I floated down from my high. I lay there with my eyes closed, feeling Edward's warmth and scent surrounding me. Edward lifted his lips from mine and I panted, trying to catch my breath again. Slowly, I relaxed my legs, sliding them down his and loosened my grip on his hair. I blinked my eyes a few times and Edward gently caressed his hands down my breasts and waist, slipping them from under my shirt and reaching up to softly brush his fingertips along one cheek while the other hand threaded into my hair. "Did you enjoy that, baby?" Edward asked in a low, husky voice. I moaned softly when he called me baby.

A small, content smile on my lips, I nuzzled my face against his hand, loving the feel of his lightly roughened skin against the softness of mine. "Mmm hmm," I hummed, still completely blissed out. This gorgeous, sex-god had just given me the best orgasm of my life, just by dry humping. I could only imagine how mind-blowing actual sex with him would be.

I finally opened my eyes and looked into his dark, intense stare. Suddenly, my brain engaged again and the reality of what had just happened crashed down on me. "Oh, holy shit," I gasped, covering my face in humiliation. I knew I was bright red with embarrassment and I ducked my head, pushing at Edward with one hand. It was completely useless. He was at least 6' 3" and 200 pounds of pure fucking muscle. I doubted I could push him off me using all of my limbs. I gave up and went back to covering my face with both hands. Edward tried to gently pull them away from my face.

"I can't believe I just did that. Oh, God, I really am a whore!" I moaned into my hands.

"Bella-"

"This is so horrifying, we hardly know each other and I've just let you dry hump me into the best orgasm I've ever had." Oh, fuck. Looks like my verbal filter hasn't entirely come back online yet.

Edward froze at that last admission. I felt tears sting my eyes; I'd never been so mortified. And I was certain I'd just ruined what could have been something really spectacular. Alice was going to murder me.

"Bella?" Edward's warm, honeyed voice asked. I made a squeaking sound behind my hands. "Bella…" he said again this time with amusement. I peaked at him from between my fingers. He chuckled and pulled my hands down from my face, holding my wrists with one hand. He wore the smuggest smirk I'd ever seen on anyone. Little shit. I should have known better than to give him that kind of ego boost.

He cocked an eyebrow, "Best orgasm ever, huh?" He was so smug I was surprised his head hadn't exploded.

"Oh, stop it. It's not like I have much to compare to. Don't let your already over inflated ego get to supernova status, okay?" I sarcastically shot back, giving him my best bitchbrow.

Edward looked at me for a moment, furrowing his brow slightly. "What does that mean, beautiful girl?"

Oh, crap. I'd pissed him off. "E-Edward, I was kidding. I mean, that is…you know, with the whole football star thing… I didn't mean you were egotistical; it was a joke. I-I'm sorry, Edward." I spit my words out rapidly, stumbling over them.

Edward laughed, "No, Bella. I meant, what does that mean you don't have much to compare to? I already know my ego is out of control. It's hard not be that way, I am pretty awesome." He winked at me, flashing his dazzling smile.

I blinked. "We're not seriously going to have this conversation, are we?" I squirmed underneath him. I wasn't sure I was ready to lay out my sexual experiences, or lack thereof, for Edward just yet.

He lifted one side of his lips, "I have plenty of time and I'm quite comfortable actually."

I sighed, "Fine, there's nothing to really tell. I haven't dated much or been…physically involved with guys." Edward just stared at me, waiting for me to elaborate. "I just…the thing is, um, that I'mavirgin. And I've only let two guys go beyond the making out level and it wasn't much beyond that so…yeah." I bit my lip and avoided Edward's gaze. My heart was pounding and I knew he could feel it too.

He released my wrists and slid his hands up to cup my face, stroking his thumbs gently along my cheeks. "You're a virgin?" he softly asked and I nodded, still avoiding his eyes. "Isabella, look at me." I nervously shifted my gaze to meet his heavy, hooded eyes. "That's not a bad thing. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. As caveman as this sounds, it actually makes you even sexier, and I didn't think that was possible." He kissed me softly, our lips pressing together for a moment. Pulling back, he shot me a small smirk, "Am I the only guy to give you an orgasm?"

I flushed all over again and rolled my eyes. "Yes, Edward. Not that Mike didn't want to try, but that just wasn't going to happen. And I'm pretty sure BOB doesn't count, although until you, he did give me the best orgasms."

"Who the fuck is Bob?" Edward growled, his demeanor suddenly turning jealous.

I laughed, "You know, _BOB_."

He just looked at me and clenched his jaw. "No, Bella. I don't know_ Bob_."

I ran my hands soothingly into his hair, "Battery Operated Boyfriend, Edward. B-O-B, BOB."

His brows snapped together. "BOB? Battery Operated Boyfriend? The hell does that mean?"

I groaned, "Edward you are smarter than this. Do I really have to spell it out for you?" He lifted his brows, waiting. "Fine," I said through clenched teeth, "a vibrator, Edward! I have a vibrator. It runs on batteries. Therefore, it is a battery operated boyfriend!"

He burst out laughing, "Yeah, I guess I should have figured that one out, huh?" I gave him a look that said, 'yeah, dumbass' but said nothing. "Well, I guess BOB is okay. But this Mike guy-"

"Edward, you don't have to worry about him. That's been over for about a year and like I said, we didn't really get that far."

"Good," he murmured, nuzzling the line of my jaw with his nose. "I don't share well, and especially not _my_ girl."

"_Your_ girl, huh? One date and we're rocketing into being exclusive?" I teased, but underneath it, I desperately wanted it to be true.

"Hell yes. I'm not letting any other guy have the chance to steal you away. You're my baby, now." He kissed me again, delving deeply this time and I shivered from his words and the heat from his kiss. His hips ground against mine and I was startled to find he was still as hard as before. I moaned and pressed my hips, too. "Are you okay with that, Bella? Can I call you my girlfriend? My baby? I want you to be mine, Isabella. And I want to be yours." He spoke the words softly, punctuating each question and sentence with a kiss and grind of his hips against mine.

"_Yes, Edward_. God, please, yes!" I answered; giving myself over to pleasure he was flooding me with.

He lifted his head, grinning madly. "Thank you, Bella." Edward leaned his head back down to mine, when Alice's voice came calling from the stairs.

"Bella! If you and that boy don't get your asses down here in two minutes, we're going to be late for class!"

I started at the sound of her voice, pissed about being interrupted when I was clearly back on the path of reaching the promised land once again. "Stupid, cockblocking pixie," I muttered and Edward laughed.

"It's probably for the best," he sighed, resting his forehead against mine. "Another few thrusts and I'd have made a huge mess anyway, that would be awkward to explain when I leave."

"Oh! Edward, do…um…should I, that is, I mean, can I help you out with anything…to make you more, ah, comfortable?" For the love of all the bunnies and kittens, did I just offer to give him a hand job? Fuck, I don't know how to do that. I mean, I'm a smart girl and know the principle of it, I knew it in theory, but in reality…no fucking clue. Double fuck, what if he prefers blowjobs and wants that instead? What the fuck did I just get myself into? Why did I offer anything at all?

Edward laughed again, especially when he saw what must have been a look of terror on my face. "No, baby. I'll be okay. Might have the worst case of blue balls for the rest of the day, but I can deal." He laughed again, seeing my relief. "You really are fucking adorable."

"Bella!" Alice yelled again and I glanced at my clock.

"Shit! I didn't realize we've been up here for over an hour."

Edward chuckled and sat up, pulling me with him. Running his fingers through my hair, he said, "Sorry beautiful girl, didn't mean to make you late. Come on, I'll drive you to make sure you get there on time." He kissed my cheek and we stood. I straightened my clothes, looking them over to ensure I wasn't too disheveled. "Oh, and I'd be careful of putting your hair up. I sort of got carried away earlier since you liked me kissing that spot behind your ear so much. There's a…small mark."

I felt my eyes widen as I raced over to the mirror. Lifting my hair, I saw a quarter sized, dark purple mark just behind my ear. I gasped, "Small mark, my ass! That's huge and fucking dark, Edward."

He smirked. "I know," he said proudly.

Smug bastard.

Oh, who was I kidding? I had a fucking hickey from Edward and I loved it.

We held hands as the two of us swiftly descended the stairs, and I only tripped once at the bottom. Luckily, Edward had amazing reflexes and caught my waist before I could actually fall.

Alice was glaring, waiting at the door. "It's about time!" she grumbled. Looking me over, she started to smile. "Looks like someone has their post-orgasm glow on," she said, wearing a Cheshire cat grin. "But only one person," she added, looking at Edward. "Blue isn't a very good color on you Edward," she laughed, referencing his obvious lack of post-orgasm glow.

"Fuck off, Alice," I growled, marching to the door and stalking out of it, tugging Edward along behind me. "Play nice or no ride to class for you!" I called over my shoulder and Alice happily followed, still laughing.

* * *

On Thursday, all of my classes finished by one o'clock and I met Edward for lunch. We sat in the shade on the lawn of the main quad, fondly known as 'the six pack' because it was situated between six of the original buildings, three on each side; with the clock tower right in front of it. It was a popular place to hang out and lots of groups and clubs met there on nice days. There was even a "Lunch with PB&Js on Fridays" club that met there every Friday.

We found a spot out of the way, by one of the trees lining the quad and ate the lunches we had each brought. We asked trivial questions, learning the little things about each other.

I learned that he was an only child, he grew up in Chicago, his favorite color was blue, his favorite band was Linkin Park, and he played the piano. He learned I was also an only child, I grew up in Forks, Washington, my favorite color was green (which had recently changed from purple after seeing his gorgeous green eyes, but hey, he didn't necessarily need to know that), my favorite band was Muse, and I couldn't play an instrument or carry a tune to save my life.

Edward was still trying to get me to sing for him, so I changed the subject. "Tell me about your parents. They seemed nice when I unknowingly met them," I challenged, lifting my eyebrows.

Edward looked chagrined for a moment and the tips of his ears turned red. "I am sorry about that Bella. They really liked you though. My mom thinks you're very sweet and my dad likes that he got to teach you about football. He said you were a quick learner."

I smiled and bit my lower lip, "They were very sweet, but I think your mom saw me checking out your ass. Not that I knew it was you or who they were, but still. So, what do they do?"

"My dad is an ER doctor at Rush University's main hospital, and my mom is a museum curator at The Art Institute of Chicago. What about your parents?"

"My dad is Chief of Police in Forks," I stated proudly. "I'm pretty sure that's one reason no boys asked me out growing up. Too afraid of Charlie's gun!"

Edward smiled, but also looked slightly alarmed at my last statement. "What about your mom?" He tilted his head slightly, studying my face as my smile fell.

"She left us when I was about ten. Divorced my dad and went off to be single and completely unattached." I heard the bitterness in my voice and hated that she still affected me like this. "I haven't heard from her since. My dad used to loosely follow where she was and what she was doing. Last he told me she was in Florida with some minor league baseball player. Then he met Sue my senior year of high school, and after much prodding from me, asked her out and I don't think he's checked on my mom since."

"I'm so sorry, Bella. That must have been really hard to have your mom walk out when you were so young." He reached out and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

Looking down at my hands, I softly answered, "It was a long time ago. I do know I still have lingering baggage from it, but I try not to think about her." I shrugged and Edward's fingers traveled down to my chin and lifted it so our eyes met.

He didn't say anything, just stared into my eyes with an intense, serious expression. Finally, he nodded once. "Not as fragile as you look," he whispered and leaned in to press his lips gently against mine.

When he pulled back, I smirked at him, "Don't you forget it either. I'll kick your ass if you deserve it."

Edward laughed. Like full on, belly laughed. "I'm certain you can keep me in line, no problem." He kissed my forehead and grinned at me. "So, would my favorite non-football fan be willing to come keep an eye on me during the game on Saturday? You know, just to make sure I don't get into any trouble?"

I found myself smiling at the thought of watching him play again. I did love those pants he wore. "Hmm, I'll have to see if I can find a ticket. Who are we playing?"

"CU," Edward replied, amused. "I think I can pull some strings and get you a ticket. Do you mind sitting with some of the other girlfriends? I normally have more than one extra ticket, but one of the guys is from Colorado and his family is coming in for the game and I game my extras to him. I hadn't actually planned on meeting a mahogany haired goddess who I suddenly find myself unable to be apart from. Plus, it would guarantee me seeing you on Saturday, since I know I won't get to tomorrow."

I drew my brows together; I'd really been looking forward to seeing him on a night when I didn't have to get up early for class the next day. "Why won't you see me tomorrow?"

Edward smiled ruefully, "Can't. Coach's rules. No girls the night before a game, and we always meet Friday afternoon to go over game strategy one last time. If I was caught breaking the rules, Coach would skin me alive."

"Oh," I said, crestfallen. "But what if one of the players is married or something? Is that against the rules? Can you not play football and be married? I mean, I know it's probably unusual to be this young and be married, but some people do marry their high school sweethearts. My friends Rachel and Paul got married right after we graduated."

"It's different if you're married, Coach can't do anything about that. There are a few guys on the team who are married, mainly high school sweethearts, like you said. Most of them met their wives before starting college. A lot of us on the team are wary of why a girl wants to date us. It's hard to know if it's because we play football or because a girl likes us for us."

"I can understand that. My question is, how do I know you aren't just dating me because you know I don't care about the football thing and I'm probably the only girl on campus who doesn't?" I smirked at him, letting him know I was teasing.

Edward smirked back at me and was leaning in to kiss me when we both heard his name being called. He turned to see who was calling him and smiled politely at the girl walking over to us. "Irina, hi. How are you?"

She smiled flirtatiously back at him and I felt my hackles rise. She was gorgeous, blonde haired and blue eyed with a flawless body. She glanced at me with a haughty run of her eyes, then just as easily dismissed me finding me lacking somehow. "Edward," she purred, "I didn't expect to run into you. How are things? Ready for the game on Saturday?"

"Of course. Actually, I'm glad you saw me. This is Bella, my girlfriend," he lifted his lips into a soft smile at me and put his arm around me. I felt a thrill go through me when he called me his girlfriend. "She'll be at the game on Saturday too, and I was wondering if you could introduced her to the others girls, too?"

_Now_ Irina looked at me. "Your girlfriend? Are you the girl from those pictures in the paper?"

I blushed furiously and Edward scowled at Irina, "Yes. Unfortunately, there was an overzealous freshman that thought it was okay to follow me around and take whatever pictures he wanted of me. Fucking paparazzi in the making."

"Oh, well, sure Edward. I'd be happy to introduce Betsy to the other girls. We have to stick together, you know," she winked at me.

I didn't smile back. "It's Bella actually. Who are you dating, Irina?" I refused to stoop to her level by calling her the wrong name.

"I'm so sorry, I must have heard wrong. Anyway, Bella, I'm Laurent Moreau's girlfriend. He's an offensive guard." Irina smiled superiorly as she told me this information and I had the feeling she was one of those girls who was dating her boyfriend because he played football.

"How nice," was all I could come up with. I had no idea what an offensive guard did.

She flashed her smile back toward Edward, "Have you talked to Tanya lately? We miss her at the games."

I stiffened at the obvious slight toward me and Edward glared. "Nope, haven't seen her for a while."

"That's too bad, she really seemed to fit in so well with the other girls." Irina replied.

I heard the clock tower chime and I turned to Edward, "I have to get going. Sixth circle of hell awaits." I stood up, brushing off my jeans and Edward followed my lead.

Edward chuckled, "Tell Dante I said hello. "I need to head over for class anyway. Dinner tonight, beautiful girl?" he asked.

I nodded, smiling. "Okay. Text me what time?"

"No problem." Edward leaned over and kissed me. Not just a quick 'I'll see you later' kiss, but a full blown kiss. His lips moving hungrily across mine, and his tongue slid into my mouth without waiting for permission. Not that I minded. Edward's hands slid to my waist, pulling me against him. I melted into him for a moment, but then remembered Irina and that we were on a rather crowded campus.

I pulled back, blushing and smiling like a school girl. Edward grinned back at me. "Down boy," I laughed and turned to Irina who was staring with wide eyes. "Nice to meet you, Irina. I'll see you Saturday," I smugly told her.

"Right. Saturday. I'll see you then," she stammered and scurried off, calling out a good bye to Edward over her shoulder.

Edward beamed proudly at me and tried to pull me back in for another kiss. "Uh-uh, you actually do have class. I was just lying to get out of her scrutiny. I'm sure there'll be plenty of that to go around on Saturday."

Edward winced, "Sorry about her. She was pretty close to Tanya, the last girl I kind of dated. I'm sure the other girls won't be so bad." I rolled my eyes; there was no way that was going to be true.

"I'll see you tonight, Edward."

He pressed a kiss to my forehead, "Later, beautiful girl."

* * *

**Okay, so most important: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to A_Letter_To_No_One, my awesomely, fabulously fantastic beta, who not only makes my stories pretty and flow well, but encourages me constantly in all aspects of life. Love you hardcore, Mo!**

**Second, Happy Thanksgiving! I'm posting early because I'm leaving town and will be at a place with...NO INTERNET! I know, I'm not sure I'll live. I'll do my best.**

**Third, please, for the love of all the bunnies and kittens, send happy thoughts/prayers that Texas beats Texas A&M on Thanksgiving at Austin. If we lose at home to A&M, my stupid Aggie sister and brother-in-law will never let me live it down. So, come on guys, I know we suck this season, but let's win this one to make up for losing to Baylor...still can't fucking believe we lost to Baylor! No offense intended to anyone reading this who goes/went to or likes Baylor, it's a lovely school.  
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**Fourth (I can't believe anyone is still reading), THANK YOU so much for all the alerts, favorites, and reviews! Every one of them makes me giddy and I love them. I hate to beg for reviews, but I do send teasers...just a little incentive.  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**This is an adult story, so be 18 or older before reading. You've been warned. I don't own anything Twilight, I just like to play. I would also like to point out I don't own any of the universities named in this story and mean no disrespect or harm to any of them.**

**A few people have raised concerns that this story is going to turn angsty. It's not. There will be minor conflicts here and there to keep things interesting, but I promise, this is intended to be light and fluffy. Like a Disney movie, but with sex. And there will be sex in the not so distant future, so please be 18 if you're reading this. **

**And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, and/or added me to their favorites/story alerts. I'm overwhelmed at the response this story has gotten so far and I truly appreciate all of them!**

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The Saturday of the CU game was bright, sunny, and ridiculously hot. I wore a khaki colored skirt with a form fitting t-shirt made to look like a Texas football jersey. It had Edward's number on both sides and his name across the back. Alice bought it and forced me to wear it. Literally, there was physical fighting involved to wrestle me into this shirt and out of the house. I hate her a little for it. And I blushed incessantly as I made my way through the crowds to where my seat was located.

My stomach was in knots at the prospect of spending the next three hours with girls who not only think they are better than me, but probably hate me for dating Edward and stealing their chance for 'dating up' in the football ranks. I wondered if there was some kind of mercy rule, like if one team is so far ahead they just call the game. That would be great…as long as Texas is the winning team because otherwise I'm the new football curse. Please, Baby Jesus, let us win this game.

I found my seat and saw Irina only two seats away, with another blonde girl between us. She looked me over with disdain and turned back to Irina, ignoring me completely. I noticed other girls filling in the seats around us, and that I was quite close to the rail, in the second row. I wasn't quite on the fifty-yard line, but close enough. The guys setting up and scurrying around the sidelines were close enough to hear, although I doubted once the game actually began that will still be true. There were other girls who were also wearing shirts like the one I had on; some with different numbers and names and some with Edward's number and name. The girl next to me, with light brown hair and friendly hazel eyes, smiled in greeting. "Hi, I'm Kate." She held out her hand.

"I'm Bella. Nice to meet you," I replied, shaking her hand, smiling and hopeful she wouldn't hate me once she knew I was dating Edward. She actually seemed genuine.

"I'm Garrett's girlfriend, number 32." She pointed to her shirt and I saw she was wearing one of the fake football jersey shirts with the number 32 on it. "Are you dating one of the guys?" She looked at my shirt with curiosity all over her face.

I smiled shyly, "Yeah, Edward. Number 17." I gestured slightly at my shirt and noticed it had gone quiet all around me. I glanced at the field, wondering if I'd missed something, but the team wasn't even out yet. With wide eyes, I took in the expressions of the girls staring at me. Some with open hostility, others with surprise, and a couple who simply smiled at me. Kate was one of the ones smiling.

Irina leaned over, "Oh, yes. It's Bella, right? We met the other day." Her voice was syrupy sweet with thinly veiled contempt.

"Right. Nice to see you again, Irina," I answered, forcing a smile.

Irina flicked her gaze around to the other girls, "Bella is the girl from the pictures of Edward in the newspaper! Apparently, Bella is Edward's _girlfriend_. At least that's how he introduced her to me." I couldn't help but hear the surprised gasps from some of the girls around us.

"But he and Tanya dated for months and he never called her his girlfriend," the blonde next to me sputtered. I did my best to hide my surprise at this statement. Edward always maintained he only 'kind of' dated Tanya. I thought that meant the two of them had gone out a few times and that was that. It seemed I needed to delve deeper into that past relationship.

"I know, but it seems little Bella here has made her way into Edward's heart., or at least his pants." Irina's voice dropped at the end, but not enough that I couldn't hear her.

The blonde next to me stared with disbelief for a few moments, and then finally introduced herself. "I'm Lauren. I'm dating Tyler Crowley, number 47." Lauren however, did not have a shirt with his number on it. She was wearing a burnt orange tube top and looked perilously close of having a wardrobe malfunction. I hoped she didn't bounce around too much during the game. "Tanya will be so interested to hear about this. I think she was under the impression she and Edward might start things up again. I know she mentioned they hung out several times over the summer."

I had no idea how to respond to that comment, so I just kept my mouth shut. Luckily, the teams came out at that moment and the game started. Kate leaned over close enough to be heard only by me, "Don't worry about those girls. They're just jealous you took their shot at Edward away. I, for one, am glad Edward finally rid himself of Tanya. That skank was nothing but a gold digging, fame hungry bitch. I can't quite understand why Edward went out with her in the first place. He's too nice for a girl like that." She assessed me for a moment, "You seem different, like you actually care and aren't just another football whore out to fuck your way into an NFL marriage."

The look on my face must have been incredulous because Kate laughed, "Yep, you do actually care. That's good, Edward needs someone he can truly count on and not just a girl to warm his bed and spend his money. You'll be good for him."

She turned back to the game and I shook my head slightly. Leaning over, I confided in Kate, "Believe it or not, I had no clue who Edward was when I met him. I never liked football and don't think I'd even watched a game before I met him."

Kate laughed and bumped me lightly with her shoulder. "I think you and I are going to be great friends." I grinned at her, hoping she would be right.

Kate and I chatted through out the game, and she even helped me understand the game more. I pretty much watched Edward the entire time, ignoring where the ball was and focusing on where he was. Even when he wasn't playing and was just watching from the sidelines, he was what captured my attention. I couldn't stop staring at his ass, it just looked so fantastic in those tight pants. Just before the team left the field for halftime, Edward finally flicked his gaze to me. He sent me a small smile and winked as he walked past my seat and I grinned at him. Texas was winning 21 to 7, with two touchdowns personally scored by Edward; so the entire team seemed fairly happy. I went to the restroom and stopped by a concession stand to pick up a drink while I had the opportunity.

As I made my way back to my seat, I saw several girls, including Irina and Lauren, talking rather animatedly and gesturing toward my empty seat. I quietly made me way down, eavesdropping shamelessly.

"I just don't see what he sees in her, I mean, she's so plain," Lauren snidely complained.

Irina nodded, "I know what you mean, but you should have seen the way Edward kissed her. She must be a great fuck, because there's nothing else that makes sense. And he must have been really drunk the first time because otherwise, what would have drawn him to her in the first place." A few of the other girls around them nodded and murmured in agreement.

"Shut up, you jealous bitches," Kate said matter of factly and rolled her eyes. "Bella is gorgeous and you all know it. I can't comment on their bedroom activities, but from hanging out with Edward a few times, I know it takes more than just being good in bed to keep his attention. He only dated Tanya because they were friends growing up and everyone expected them to get together. He was bored out of his mind most of the time with her. Stop being so petty about not getting a shot at Edward and give Bella a chance, she's really nice and I get the feeling she'll be around for a while."

I walked the last few feet to my seat, causing the stunned silence to abruptly be broken by meaningless chatter as the girls tried to cover up the fact that they had been talking about me. Taking my seat, I focused back on the game as the teams came back onto the field and the crowds began cheering wildly again. I found myself once again leaning over to Kate. "Thanks," I whispered.

She just shrugged and smiled, No problem."

I forced myself to pay attention to the game and made friends with a few of the other girls around us. Maggie and Siobhan seemed to take Kate's words to heart and I found they were nice, after all. While I didn't enjoy the game quite as much as I had the week before with Alice and Edward's parents; it was fun and I hoped I could actually be friends with some of the other girlfriends. I started to say goodbye to Kate when the game ended victoriously and Edward had scored two of our four touchdowns, but she just laughed and hooked her arm through mine.

"So much to learn, new girl. Let me show you where the girlfriends meet the players after the game." I followed her around the maze of the stadium, trying to memorize where we were headed and failing completely. Eventually, we found ourselves outside a corridor blocked by doors and stadium security guards that would lead to the locker rooms. There were a slew of people waiting outside them, a large number of them journalists. I hung back with Kate and most of the other girls. A few of the more superficial girls flaunted their way toward the front, obviously enjoying the attention.

A few minutes later, the guys came out, all freshly showered and in regular clothes. The journalists swarmed them, focusing on a few key players more than others. Edward and one especially large bear of a guy seemed to garner the most attention. I watched Edward answer questions, smiling amiably and totally at ease with the situation. Inching my way closer, I tried to listen in and saw Edward sneak a glance at me, flashing me his gorgeous crooked smile. Someone asked a question about something called the Heisman and Edward laughed, saying it was only the second game of the season and a little early to even think about that. Another reporter had shrewdly picked up on the glance Edward sent me and gestured in my direction, asking about our relationship and mentioning the pictures from the school paper.

Everyone around him suddenly looked in my direction and I ducked my head, pushing back into the crowd behind me. It had grown quiet enough I could still hear Edward's answer.

"My private life is just that, private. And seeing as I'm only a college football player I don't see why anyone needs to know who I am or am not dating. I am by no means any kind of a celebrity, so anything beside my football playing skills is irrelevant. Any other questions?" After a slightly uncomfortable silence, the coach came out of the doors and everyone jumped on the opportunity to change focus.

Edward made his way toward me, smiling as I walked backwards, deeper into the crowd, trying to distance myself from the journalists as much as possible. He finally caught me, leaning down to kiss my cheek and whispering, "Do you have any idea how fucking sexy it is to see you wearing my number?"

I shivered at the deep, gravely tone to his voice and smiled wickedly. Thank you, Alice. I said nothing, just turned around and began walking out while sliding my hair over one shoulder so his name was visible. I heard his growl before he pounced on me, wrapping his hands around my waist and pulling me back against him. He kissed my neck, grazing his teeth along my sensitive skin, causing me to stumble. "Edward!" I hissed, suddenly dizzy with lust.

"So fucking sexy," he said, his warm breath against my neck.

* * *

That night Edward and I went to one of the many football parties at one of the player's apartments. In reality, the party spanned the surrounding apartments with the doors to all of them wide open and students milling around from one to another. I'd changed from my skirt and faux football shirt into tight, dark blue, low-rise jeans and a red tank top low enough to give a teaser of cleavage.

Edward was disappointed at first glance after picking me up that I'd changed clothes, but from the way his eyes kept wandering down to my neckline, it appeared he had gotten over it. He kept his arm resting lightly around my waist with his thumb slipping beneath the hem of my tank top and softly rubbing circles on my skin. Just that small, electric touch had me uncomfortably wet between my legs and I had to fight not to lean into him just to feel the warmth of his body against mine.

Edward was definitely in high demand, but he kept by my side, circulating around to everyone and introducing me as his girlfriend. I was not blind to the surprised and stunned looks that piece of information was met with. At one point of talking with a group of rather large men, the conversation inevitably shifted to today's game and football in general.

"So what did you think of the game, Bella? Are you a big football fan?" A giant guy by the name of Felix asked.

I gave an oh-so-ladylike snort and shook my head, "I couldn't give a fuck about football. I honestly had no clue that Edward was some hotshot football player when I met him. The game today was…interesting, but that had more to do with things off the field rather than on it."

Edward, who had been smiling, suddenly frowned and turned protective. "What happened? Were the other girls not nice to you?"

The other guys all laughed, "Look at Cullen getting all protective of her. Never thought I'd see you lose your shit over a girl," a guy named Demetri joked and winked at me.

"Hey, hey, hey. Bella is not just any girl. She's his _girlfriend_, remember?" Felix added and Edward scowled at them before turning back to me expectantly.

"It was fine, Edward. Stop worrying," I reassured him, leaning into his side. Heat flashed in his emerald eyes as his light hold around my waist tightened considerably. "Most of the girls were very nice. Although, they did have interesting things to say about your previous romantic exploits." I smirked up at him and Edward grimaced. I completely relaxed against him, sliding my own arm around his waist. "Don't worry, I won't ruin the party. We can always talk about it later."

"Great," Edward groaned, causing me to laugh. Taking pity on him, Felix turned the conversation back to football and I zoned out. Looking around I spotted Maggie and Kate and untangled myself from Edward's grasp to join them. I people watched as we chatted and noticed an extraordinary number of girls eye-fucking Edward. He diligently ignored the pointed looks and seemed to be enjoying himself.

I was nursing my third beer, pleasantly buzzed when a beautiful strawberry blonde with bright blue eyes sauntered into the party. Her skin-tight, very low cut, halter dress left little to the imagination and made it blatantly obvious she wasn't wearing a bra or underwear. I felt the change in the atmosphere and the noise levels dipped. I shrugged it off, ignoring the skank and focusing on my conversation with Kate and Maggie, but I noticed they were uneasy and kept glancing at her.

Furrowing my brow, I turned my head to watch the girl slink over to the group Edward was with. "Edward," she purred, reaching up to slide one hand into the silky hair at the nape of his neck. She touched him with such familiarity; I instinctively knew this was someone he had been involved with. Jealousy blossomed hot within my chest, along with despair. There was no way I could compete with this girl.

"Tanya," Edward replied formally. He stepped just out of her reach and I saw the tension in his shoulders. My stomach tensed into a cold knot of anxiety; _this_ was Tanya? I was so fucked.

She gave a sultry laugh, "What's wrong, baby?"

I felt my eyebrow shot up at her calling him baby, and realized, aside from the music playing in the background it was completely quiet. Everyone had stopped and was watching their exchange, or watching me. Edward's face turned hard, when spoke it was in a low, controlled voice, "Tanya, don't call me that. You know that you and I are over. I have a girlfriend and I'm pretty sure you already knew that."

Now she turned bitchy, her sweetness forgotten. Putting one hand on her hip, she scoffed at him, "You can't be serious Edward. You've never had anything remotely close to a girlfriend since high school. It's been two weeks since school started, how can you possibly have a girlfriend?" Her voice and expression turned calculating, "Unless you were hiding that fact this summer?"

"We met the first day of classes," he snapped, obviously getting angry.

"Then where is she?" she taunted, "If I were your girlfriend, I'd be with you at a party."

"I'm right here," I said as I unhurriedly crossed back over to where they stood. "I just didn't feel the need to be right next to Edward every moment we're here. It's kind of clingy, don't you think? I mean, there has to be trust in a relationship, right?" I smiled, reaching where Edward stood and he automatically reached for me. I let myself melt into his side as his arm came around me. I leaned across him slightly, pressing the side of my breast against his chest and held out my hand. "I'm Bella. I don't think we've met," I did my best to keep my voice friendly and smiled openly at her. I refused to let her think she intimidated me in the slightest.

"Tanya," she curtly replied and limply shook my hand, looking me over from head to toe with disdain. "Trust is good, but really it's been two weeks. How much of a connection can you really have with a person after two weeks?"

"Obviously enough to want to be in an exclusive relationship with each other," I answered with just a hint of annoyance coloring my voice.

"Enjoy the party, Tanya," Edward added, dismissing her. Her face was shocked for a moment before she shot me a look of hatred and stalked off. After a brief, uncomfortable moment, the party picked up again.

Edward lowered his head and kissed my temple, "Sorry about her, beautiful girl."

I looked up to meet his captivating green eyes. "It's okay. Not your fault," I shrugged.

"Do you want to go, Bella?" he softly asked.

I smiled and shook my head, "I'm not letting her ruin our night."

Edward returned my smile and I lifted up on my toes to press a brief kiss to his lips. "Come on," he said and took my hand in his, "I have a couple friends somewhere here I want you to meet."

We wandered through another apartment, seeking out his friends and pausing every few minutes to chat with other people. After stopping for what seemed like the fiftieth time, I whispered to Edward that I was going to get a drink and would be right back. I walked around a corner and stepped toward the kitchen. Unfortunately, someone else stepped out of another hallway at the same time and we smacked into each other. I fell flat on my ass, looking up at the hulking bear of a man staring down at me. "Uh, sorry," I stammered out, hoping I hadn't pissed off the bear.

Suddenly, he grinned, showing off the cutest dimples and yelled, "Bella!"

My eyes grew wide as saucers. How the hell did this guy know my name? He laughed at my expression and reached down, picking me up three feet off the floor and squeezing me tightly. I squeaked and tried to breathe, but couldn't. My self-defense instincts kicked in and I swiftly brought my knee up, hoping I had estimated correctly and my knee would land exactly where I wanted. I was right. I hit him right in the balls.

The giant instantly released me, letting out a high-pitched cry and toppling to his knees. Given my lack of balance and grace and getting dropped from three feet up, I followed suit. I awkwardly landed, half on the floor and half on the guy, who lightly (for him) pushed me off, causing my head to smack against the wall.

"Ow," I groaned, reaching up to gingerly tough the side of my head.

"Bella," Edward yelled, hurrying over to me. He crouched by my side, cupping my face in his hands. "Are you okay?" Concern and worry was etched all over his face, as he looked me over. Edward shifted one hand to where I was holding my head, his fingers gently probing the knot beginning to form. I winced. He turned to glare at the guy I'd kneed, "What the hell, Emmett?" You hurt her!"

The giant bear, Emmett, was curled on the floor whimpering. He looked at Edward incredulously. "Her? She kneed me in the nuts, Cullen!" he whined, his voice still an unusual high pitch.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't grab random girls and try squeezing the life out of them. You're twice her size and three times her weight. What was she supposed to do?" Edward snapped back to me. "Come on, baby. Let's see if we can find some Tylenol or ice for your head." He helped me to my feet and I leaned against him, mainly just because I wanted to be close to him.

"It's not that bad, Edward," I replied and gave him a small smile. "I'm pretty sure he's hurt worse." I nodded toward Emmett.

Edward snorted and muttered, "Deserved it," under his breath before herding me into the kitchen. I just went with it. "Hey, Jazz," Edward said to yet another likely football player as we entered the kitchen. This one was about the same height as Edward, but more wiry. He had shaggy blonde hair and piercing blue eyes, with an easy, friendly smile.

"Howdy, Edward," he drawled and looked me over. "Miss," he said, with a slight nod of his head.

I giggled. Alice would go ape shit for this guy. She was all about southern charm and a Texas drawl. Edward glanced at me and pushed a bottle of water and two Tylenol toward me. I smiled at him and took everything without complaint. While the knot on my head didn't really hurt much, I was developing a headache.

"Bella, this is Jasper. He's on the team with me, and one of my best friends. We were roommates freshman year," Edward told me.

I smiled, "Nice to meet you, Jasper."

"Pleasure to meet you, too, Bella. Edward hasn't stopped talking about you since you two met," he answered then glanced at Edward. "Was that Emmett I heard cry like a bitch just a minute ago?"

Edward grinned, "Yep, Bella kneed him in the balls." He sounded so proud when he said this and I couldn't help but grin.

Jasper grinned at me, "I think I'm going to like you." I laughed. Emmett limped in, still holding his crotch with one hand and eyeing me warily. He grabbed a towel, setting it on the counter and threw ice into it before placing the makeshift ice pack on his delicate region. He glared at me with a pained expression, "So, what exactly did I do to deserve getting kneed in the balls?"

I fought not to laugh when his voice cracked. "Uh, I don't know if you noticed, but you're about the size of a grizzly bear and you grabbed me and I couldn't breathe." I shrugged, "My dad's a cop, self-defense instincts kind of kicked in. Maybe you should just wear a cup all the time, if you're going to go around randomly grabbing girls." My whole body language gave off no remorse and Edward and Jasper let out the laughter they had been holding in.

Edward wrapped his arms around my waist and tugged me back against him, kissing my cheek. "You are fantastic," he told me, still laughing. "Bella, this is Emmett, my other best friend and fellow football player. Emmett, this is Bella, my girlfriend and ass kicker extraordinaire."

Emmett cracked a smile at his words and, after heaving a deep sigh, held out his hand to me. "Hi, Bella, nice to meet you officially."

I looked at his giant paw, down to my tiny hands, and then back to his crotch where he was holding the ice pack. I crossed my arms across my chest, tucking my hands into my sides. "It's nice to meet you, too, Emmett." I flashed him my friendliest smile.

He blinked, then grinned, showing off those dimples again. "I like her," he told Edward. "But, please, no more kneeing me in the nuts, deal?"

I giggled, "Deal." Wiggling out of Edward's arms, I asked, "Bathroom?" He pointed me in the right direction and I found it, only having to wait for one person before it was my turn.

I was beginning my walk back to the kitchen, when James, the creepy guy I'd met before, blocked my way. He smiled a predatory smile. "Bella, right?"

I swallowed and forced myself to nod, my nerves prickling uneasily. He stepped forward, invading my personal space and I stepped back, finding myself in a corner in the hallway. Fuck, that was a stupid move.

His smile grew, "What's the matter, Bella? I'm not making you uncomfortable, am I?" His voice was soft and he lifted one hand to trail his cold fingertips across my cheek.

I jerked my face away from his hand, "Back off, James." I tried to keep my voice strong and as pissed off sounding as possible, but he just pressed closer.

"Don't be such a tease, I've seen you rubbing all over Cullen. All of us on the team like to share, it's okay." He curled his fingers around the side of my neck, thumb resting on the front of my throat, right on my airway, and squeezed lightly.

My pulse raced and my breath caught. I lashed out with my hand as hard as I could, given his proximity. I stabbed two fingers directly into his solar plexus, knowing this was a pain pressure point. He flinched back, gasping in pain and clutching around his middle. Instantly, I ducked around him and fled for the kitchen, tucking myself between Edward and Jasper, trying to look calm.

Edward took one look at me and reached for me, cradling my face, "Bella, what's wrong?" His eyes searched mine with concern.

"N-nothing," I stammered, not wanting to start a fight between friends. "Do you think you could take me home? I'm tired all of a sudden."

He frowned, shaking his head, "You're not tired. You're scared. Your face is pale, your breathing is shallow and rapid, I can see your pulse racing at your throat, and you're shaking. Baby, what happened?" His voice was soft and gentle, but serious and commanding at the same time.

I opened my mouth to tell him, but movement in the doorway caught my eye. James was there and if looks could kill, I'd have dropped dead on the tile floor. He was still rubbing his solar plexus.

"Bitch," he spat and I felt my eyes widen.

"You deserved it, asshole! Your hand was around my throat," I shot back at him.

Edward whipped around, furious, and tucked me behind him. Both Emmett and Jasper tensed, straightening up from their relaxed stances and stepping closer around me.

"She's lying," James sneered. "That slut came onto me in the hallway and when I shot her down she stabbed me with her fingers in my chest. Hurts like a mother fucker,"

Edward glanced over his shoulder at me and I shook my head, tears filling my eyes. "It's not true," I whispered.

"I know," he mouthed and rounded on James. "You think I don't see the way you look at her? I saw it the night I introduced you two at her sorority house. I saw you watching her at the game today. If you ever come near her again, I will beat the hell out of you, you piece of shit. The only reason I'm not kicking your ass right now is that you're a teammate, so I'm giving you one pass." Emmett and Jasper closed ranks next to Edward, making it known they would be helping out if needed.

James came toe to toe with Edward and I felt relief course through me seeing Edward's taller and stronger stature compared to James. I knew Edward could take him in a fight. "You think you're such hot shit being starting quarterback and all this talk about the Heisman and getting drafted as a junior. You're not, and one day, you're going to get knocked off that pedestal you're sitting so smug on top of. And I'm going to be there to enjoy watching you go down. You can be sure of that," he threatened softly, then pushed his way out of the party.

Edward swung around back to face me, his jaw clenched tightly. "Are you okay, Bella? Did he hurt you or do _anything _else to you?"

I shook my head, "He wrapped his hand around my throat, but I stopped him before he could do anything more."

Edward folded me into his arms, burying his nose in my hair and inhaling deeply. "I'm sorry, baby. I swear he will never get close to you again."

I closed my eyes and relaxed against him for a moment, steadying my nerves. Lifting my head, I asked, "Is it okay if you take me home? I'm not really in the mood for a party anymore."

He nodded and kissed my forehead before tucking me against him and leading our way out of the party to his car. The drive back to my house was quiet, with the two of us holding hands across the console.

When Edward walked me up to the door, he turned to me, "Are you sure you're okay? Do you, um, do you want to stay at my place tonight? I mean, I can sleep on the couch. I just don't know if you should be alone tonight."

"I'm not alone in the house, Edward, but thank you for being concerned about me. I appreciate the offer, but I think I'd prefer to just curl up in my own bed." I looked up just in time to catch the disappointment on his face, but he nodded. I put my hand on his cheek, "Thank you, Edward. For caring about me. I promise, I'm okay. I just need some time to clear my head, that's all."

I leaned in and kissed him softly, quickly parting my lips for him when his tongue begged entrance. Edward slowly kissed me senseless, his tongue sliding across mine and exploring my mouth thoroughly. He wasn't forceful or demanding, he kept the kiss sweet and gentle but still relaying the depth of the emotions he was feeling. I groaned quietly when I finally pulled back, resting my forehead against his.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow, I promise," I whispered and pressed my lips against his one last time. "Good night, sweetheart."

I saw the smile flirting on his lips when I called him that. "Good night, Isabella. Sweet dreams, beautiful girl."

I slipped inside the house and up to my room, changing quickly and climbing into bed, curling into a ball and closing my eyes, praying sleep would claim me.

* * *

**Okay, a little drama this chapter, but I also gave you an ass kicking Bella so that has to count for something, right? **

**Once again, more thanks than I can ever express to A Letter To No One, my amazingly fabulous beta! She makes everything so much prettier and better! Check out her story, One Street Over. You won't be disappointed!**

**Sadly, Texas lost to A&M on Thanksgiving...but on the bright side, this season is over for the team and we can just wipe it from memory and start over next season! Needless to say, the Texas football team I'm writing will have a slightly different ending to their season. :) **

**I entered the Baby It's Cold Outside contest, go check it out and see if you can pick out my story. I'm going to get my ass kicked, but it was fun anyway! Once voting has ended and winners are announced I'll post it under my name and you can see if you guessed right. Voting starts Dec. 1 through Dec 14! http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/~babyitscoldoutsidecontest**

**Oh, and if you review, you get a teaser from the next chapter...just sayin'**


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't own Twilight, or any universities mentioned here...blah, blah, blah. I also don't own Facebook, big surprise. Things are most definitely heating up this chapter, so please be 18 before reading. Oh, and I don't own a Freebirds restaurant, although I wish I did because they have the best burritos in the world, IMO. **

**A giant, huge THANK YOU to everyone reading/reviewing/alerting this story! Every single one of you makes me smile and I can't thank you enough for encouraging me in this endeavor. **

**More at the bottom.  
**

* * *

After fitfully sleeping for about an hour and a half, I gave up. Quietly, so not to wake Alice, who had come in half an hour earlier, I grabbed my laptop and made my way into the dark and empty study room, claiming my favorite overstuffed wingback chair. I checked my email, and then wandered over to Facebook to see what my friends had been up to tonight. I was startled to see I had a new request. Facebook wanted me to confirm that Edward and I were in a relationship together. Edward had previously sent me a friend request the night he serenaded me, but we hadn't had much contact on the site. I did, however, have a number of my friends comment on my newly added friend.

I sat staring at the request, biting my lower lip against a grin. If I confirmed this, it was officially official. Posting a relationship status on Facebook meant you were really serious. I swallowed nervously. Did I want to do that? Did I want the rest of the world to know we were together? What if we broke up? There would be a new notification announcing that too, and taking away the little heart icon with it. Gah! I didn't know if I could handle that, and if I was being honest, we probably would break up at some point. I mean, what did I have to offer an astonishingly sexy football god in the long run?

**Edward Cullen: Stop over thinking it and just confirm the relationship, beautiful girl. **

I jumped, startled by the pop-up chat box. I shook my head after reading the message, trying not to smile. He had definitely gotten into my head, I was over thinking it.

**Bella Swan: What are you doing up this late?**

**Edward Cullen: I could ask you the same thing.**

**Bella Swan: Just having trouble staying asleep.**

**Edward Cullen: Me too. I'm worried about you.**

**Bella Swan: I'm okay, Edward. Really. This is just my regular insomnia. I've always had trouble sleeping through the night.**

**Edward Cullen: Really?**

**Bella Swan: Yes, really. I promise I'm not lying.**

**Edward Cullen: So…you going to confirm the relationship? Come on, click the button. I already did…**

**Bella Swan: Easy for you to do. We break up and the 'no longer in a relationship' notification goes out and it's not humiliating for you at all, but I'm suddenly the girl Edward Cullen dumped.**

**Edward Cullen: Who says we're going to break up?**

I snorted at that, thankful he wasn't around to hear me make that sound.

**Bella Swan: Let's be realistic, Edward. Look at you and then look at me. I think it's not if we'll break up, but when. **

**Edward Cullen: Well, damn, Bella; I know I'm not as hot as you, but I didn't know looks were so important to you. ;) IF you're planning on dumping me, can we just get it over with now?**

**Bella Swan: Ha. Ha. We both know you're the pretty one in this relationship.**

**Edward Cullen: You don't see yourself very clearly, do you? You have no idea how guys stare at you wherever you go. Trust me when I say that you are absolutely beautiful.**

**Bella Swan: Whatever you say, Edward.**

**Edward Cullen: Stunning.**

** Breathtaking.**

** Gorgeous.**

**Bella Swan: Okay, I get it.**

**Edward Cullen: Hot.**

** Smart.**

** Funny.**

** Caring.**

**Bella Swan: Edward, I get it!**

**Edward Cullen: Charming.**

** Sweet.**

** Kind.**

** Brilliant.**

** Witty.**

** Beguiling.**

**Bella Swan: Seriously! You've made your point. I'm awesome. You can stop now. Put down the thesaurus.**

**Edward Cullen: Sexy.**

** Unbelievably fucking sexy.**

I blushed and tried to think of what to say back. Thanks, you're not so bad yourself?

**Edward Cullen: Especially when you come. That's something I definitely want to see again.**

And just like that, I was thoroughly and completely turned on. I squirmed a little in my seat, thinking about him…thinking about me.

**Edward Cullen: Shit. Bella, I'm sorry. That was out of line.**

Oh, crap. I hadn't responded and now he thinks I'm offended. How do I tell him I'm not offended without sounding slutty?

**Bella Swan: No! Edward, that's okay. I was just lost in thought for a second. I can't say that I haven't thought about that, too…**

Now it was my turn to sweat it out, waiting for his reply.

**Edward Cullen: You're killing me, baby. **

** Put me out of my misery and click the button.**

**Bella Swan: How did you know I was clicking my button, Edward? ;)**

My heart raced, I'd never been so bold with a guy before. I was kind of enjoying teasing him.

**Edward Cullen: Fucking hell. Does that mean what I think it means?**

I smirked at my computer, hoping I was making him just as uncomfortably excited as I was.

**Bella Swan: I don't know, what do you think it means? It's harder than I thought to type one handed…**

**Edward Cullen: Holy fuck, baby. You know, if it was my hand clicking your button, you'd be able to type with both hands…**

At that, I decided I'd had enough teasing. Time for the real thing.

**Bella Swan: Be outside my house in ten minutes.**

**Edward Cullen: Wait, what? **

**Bella Swan: My house. Ten minutes.**

I closed the chat box, closed my eyes and clicked the accept button to confirm our relationship then snapped my laptop shut. I swiftly ran to my room and as silently as possible, threw a pair of jeans and a t-shirt with a few necessary toiletry items into my backpack. I zipped it up and headed toward my door.

"Have fun, Bella. Be ready to spill about what that boy looks like naked when you get home," Alice sleepily murmured.

I giggled softly, "Sorry to wake you, Ali. And, dear God, I hope I get to see him naked."

I ducked out of our room and down the stairs, punched in our nighttime security code to override the alarm system for the front door and slipped outside. I saw Edward's car, double parked, and stepped toward it. Strong arms caught me from behind and pulled me against a hard chest. Edward's scent engulfed me and my stomach quivered with desire. His lips descended to my neck, kissing in hot, wet nips and licks, gently sucking. I moaned and pressed back against him, panting as one of his hands slid up to cup my breast, his thumb softly rubbing my hardened nipple through the thin cotton of my tank top.

"Edward," I groaned, "Car, your place. _Now._"

"Anything you want, baby," he growled, spinning me around and capturing my lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck, lifting up and hooking my legs around his waist. Edward's hands caressed down my body until he grasped my ass, kneading softly.

I pulled my lips from his bringing them to his ear, "Take me to your place and I promise you can make me come in your arms again."

"Fuck, Bella," he groaned and practically ran to his car. He threw open the door, gently placing me in the seat before kissing me one last time and then running around to his side. He threw the car into drive and sped off down the street. The drive passed in a blur of me softly kissing along Edward's neck while his free hand drifted maddeningly along my inner thigh, but never quite high enough.

Finally, he whipped into a parking spot in a garage under what I assumed was his apartment building. I climbed over the console, straddling him and kissing him deeply. Opening the door, he eased both of us out of his car and walked over to an elevator, pressing the call button. The doors slid open and I felt him press me against the back wall, fumbling blindly with the buttons for the elevator.

Our kiss grew wild, tongues clashing and teeth nipping between panted, shallow breaths. The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. I paid absolutely no attention to our surroundings as he walked us to his door. After fumbling with his lock for about a minute, Edward grumbled and yanked his mouth from mine to actually look at his lock. I laughed softly before bringing my mouth to his neck and sucking the skin there, my fingers tightening in his hair and tugging lightly. He groaned and threw the door open, stumbling into his apartment. He paused after closing the door, light from the moon and streetlights filtered in through the windows and I could see Edward looking at me with dark, lust filled eyes. "Do you want to see-" he hoarsely started to ask, but I cut him off.

"Later. Bedroom, now," I answered breathlessly.

He walked us back to his room and stopped a few feet inside the door. His hands moved up to my waist as I unhooked my legs and slid them down his body. I reached down to grasp the edge of his t-shirt, pulling it up and over his head. I let the shirt fall from my hands as my eyes greedily took in his muscled chest and abs. I had the inexplicable urge to lick every ridge and valley they formed.

My fingers trailed along the planes and my breath caught as I looked back up into his eyes. Their beautiful, vibrant green was dark with wide dilated pupils, but it was the emotion swirling within them that caught me off guard. There was burning lust, mixed with deep caring and a hint of possessiveness. There was something else that I couldn't truly identify, but everything in how he looked at me made me feel like I was the most precious treasure on the earth.

Nervousness flooded me abruptly. "Edward, I-" I began to stammer, but he stopped me.

"I know, Bella. We won't do anything you aren't comfortable with, okay?" His fingers trailed along my cheek and jaw. He stepped closer to me, kissing me once more.

Desire burned through me once more and I made a strangled whimpering sound, running my hands back up his chest, feeling his smooth skin beneath them. His fingers slipped beneath my tank top and lifted it slowly up my stomach, as if he was asking for permission. I broke the kiss long enough to pull back and allow Edward to lift it over my head. He dropped it to the floor and his eyes trailed over my bare torso.

"Fuck," he uttered in a low, husky voice and his fingertips brushed along the curves of my exposed breasts. "So incredibly sexy."

I shuddered under the heat of his gaze and touch of his hands, and blushed. He smirked as he saw my flush draw all the way down the tops of my breasts.

"God, that's fucking delicious," he groaned and his mouth was on me again. He kissed down the column of my throat and along my collarbone before exploring the tops of my breasts.

I moaned and gripped his hair in my hands. Edward's hands reached the top of the yoga pants I was wearing and he hesitatingly hooked his fingers into them. With slightly trembling fingers, I placed my hands over his and lightly pushed, my pants and panties falling to the floor.

"Bella," he growled and lowered me to his bed. I laid back against the pillows as Edward hovered over my body, his mouth trailing hot, wet kisses down my chest to one hardened and tingling nipple. He grazed the sensitive peak with his lips and I hissed, arching my back and clutching at his hair again. Edward chuckled softly, "You like that, baby? Want more?"

His voice washed over me, the smooth velvet sound going straight between my thighs. I heard myself plead for more, not caring about the blatant desperation lacing my voice. He obliged me by caressing his tongue over my nipple before sucking it into his mouth and swirling his tongue around it.

"Oh, fuck!" I cried out, unintentionally pulling his hair and clenching my thighs together as wetness dripped down them. I rubbed them together, trying to get any kind of friction to relieve the throbbing ache building.

I felt Edward suck harder, electric thrills running through my body. His hands sensuously traveled down the sides of my body. One of them made its way back up to cup my breast, fingers teasing and rolling my nipple. The other ghosted its way across my hips, tantalizingly close to where I most wanted his hand.

"Mmmm…so soft and smooth," Edward murmured against my skin. He lifted his head to look down my body and his breath came out loudly. "Completely bare, Bella?" His eyes were dark and hooded and I couldn't look away.

I tried to think, but his fingers continued their ministrations on my breast, distracting me. "I...it just…feels better that way."

He moved to cover my body with his, his chest rubbing enticingly against mine and one hard, muscled thigh of his pressing between mine. I fought not to rub myself against his leg and cursing myself for not having him take his shorts off by now. I felt his cock, rock hard, pressed to my stomach. His lips were suddenly at my ear, tongue tracing the shell. "Feels better how? Feels better when you touch yourself, baby?"

I shivered and whimpered, nodding into his neck. His thigh finally pressed against my pussy and I moaned, long and low.

"What do you think about when you touch yourself? Who do you fantasize about?" Edward's voice, smooth and velvet, and his warm breath on my ear was driving me crazy with lust.

"You," I half moaned, half whimpered. "Since that first day, I can't stop thinking about you."

Edward let out a satisfied rumble before nipping at my earlobe. He brought one hand down, trailing along my inner thigh and my breath shuddered out of me. "Can I touch you, Bella? Can I make you feel good?"

"Please," I whispered and his hand inched up my leg as he shifted his thigh out of the way.

His fingers encountered the wetness on my legs and he groaned. "So wet."

He gently rubbed his fingers along my pussy dipping his fingers into my wetness and bringing them up to trace a circle on my clit.

I bit my lip against a scream, drawing blood. I bucked my hips against his hand and his fingers slipped between my folds and sank into me. The moan I let out rivaled a porn star's and Edward pumped his fingers slowly, torturing me with each stroke. I tossed my head against the pillows, my hands grabbing at his back and digging my nails into him. I heard my moans and pants as Edward gradually increased his pace and massaged his fingers inside me.

My body trembled as I felt myself get closer and closer to the edge, begging incoherently for him to give me what I so desperately needed. Rubbing tight circles against my clit with his thumb, his fingers twisted inside me, pressing a spot that made scream out as I came hard on his hand.

When I finally stopped shaking, Edward ran his nose along my cheek as I panted to catch my breath. My fingers tangled into his hair once more and I kissed him tenderly. "Thank you," I breathed against his lips, "That was…fucking incredible."

I felt him smile, "No need to thank me, beautiful girl. I was more than happy to do that." He kissed me briefly once more and then brought his fingers to his mouth and licked them. "Fucking delicious," he murmured and I pressed my face to his neck, blushing.

Slowly, I moved one hand from his hair, down his chest to the waistline of his gym shorts. I kissed and sucked along his neck and Edward hummed appreciatively. I slipped my hand beneath his shorts, startled to find him going commando. My hand brushed his cock and he hissed. I wrapped my hand around him, stroking the length and amazed at his size. My experience might have been limited, but I knew enough to know he was well above average. My other hand came down to help push at his shorts and Edward shoved at them, kicking the shorts off. My hand came back to wrap around him again.

"Show me?" I asked softly and he groaned against my neck. His hand grasped mine and together we moved along his shaft, Edward showing me how to touch him and how much pressure to hold him with. As I became more comfortable, his hand fell away and he let me take full control. His moans and words of praise spurred me on and I stroked faster, running the palm of my hand over his head each time and was rewarded with even more moans from Edward. I loved hearing his honeyed voice in my ear and his mouth kissing and nipping at my earlobe.

I tightened my grip slightly and pumped faster, twisting my hand as I stroked and rewarded with him moaning, "Oh, God, I'm going to come, Bella!"

Edward kissed me hard as I stroked up his length once more and he yelled my name as he came in hot spurts in my hand. He collapsed against me, breathing heavily and ran one hand along my neck, cupping my jaw. He kissed my temple and mumbled words I didn't understand. Then he helped me up and showed me to his bathroom, where I washed my hands before grabbing his shirt from the floor and crawling back into bed next to him.

Edward pulled the shirt from my hands before I could put it on and threw it on the other side of the bed. "Not allowed to sleep in my bed with clothes on. It's a rule."

I giggled, "Is that so?"

"Yep," he answered, smirking at me in the moonlight.

"You always sleep naked?" I teased.

He reached out and tugged me down, pulling me against him, curling around me like a spoon. "Always," he huskily whispered in my ear and I shivered. He laughed softly.

"Sweet dreams, my Isabella," he whispered and kissed my temple.

"Good night, Edward," I whispered back, turning my head to meet his lips softly for a moment before falling heavily into sleep.

* * *

I woke up to sunlight streaming in, the sheet down around my waist, and Edward's warm, hard body spooned against mine, one arm under my neck and the other slung over my waist and his hand on my chest. I didn't know whether to laugh or moan at his hand cupping my breast in his sleep. I could also feel his morning erection pressed against the small of my back.

I glanced over at his clock and let out a small gasp. It was just after eleven. Sleeping that late was practically unheard of for me. Sleeping late for me was nine in the morning, and that was if I stayed up until two or three in the morning. And I hadn't woken once after falling asleep with Edward. I literally couldn't remember the last time I had slept that long straight through, over eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. I grinned.

"What are you so happy about, beautiful girl?" Edward's sleepy voice floated over me, but he didn't more.

"Over eight hours of uninterrupted sleep," I answered giddily, "That never happens for me."

Edward nuzzled his face into my hair, "Hmmm…guess I'll just have to make a point of helping you out with that more often."

I felt heat flood my body and Edward apparently noticed his hand placement, kneading my breast for a moment before moving his hand away. "Sorry, beautiful girl. Even my subconscious is obsessed with your perfect tits."

I snorted, then blushed and hid my face in my pillow. "Edward, my boobs are hardly noteworthy. They're Bs, not exactly going to land me a centerfold in Playboy."

"They're perfect," he argued and moved his hand back up to caress one and then the other, "Perky and rounded. They fill my palm exactly. Plus you have a petite frame, and your tits fit your body flawlessly." He leaned up on one elbow, looking down at me. Or at my breasts, rather. His fingertips traced the curves and made patterns along the sensitive skin, causing my nipples to harden. He lifted his eyes to mine, dark and lust filled. "Yes, I'm a guy and I love tits. But size is not what drives my…admiration. It's how they fit the girl, and yours; your tits fit your body perfectly."

He leaned over and kissed me, pushing his tongue between my lips and I turned over in his arms. His hands moved to my waist and he pulled me flush to him. His cock was sandwiched between us and I felt it against the apex of my core. I tensed, not expecting that contact, and Edward immediately pulled his hips away.

"Sorry, Bella. I didn't mean to make you nervous. I swear I'm not trying to pressure you into anything you don't want to do," he said and rested his forehead against mine. "Of course, making you sleep naked and then molesting you while you sleep and again first thing in the morning, probably doesn't get that message across well."

I smiled softly, "It's okay, Edward. I…feel safe with you."

He lifted one side of his lips lightly and tucked my hair behind me ear. "You are safe with me." He paused for a moment before asking, "Bella, how old are you?"

"Almost twenty-one. How old are you?"

"I turned twenty-one in June. Can I-," he sighed softly, looking at me hesitantly, "Can I ask why you're still a virgin? It's not a bad thing, it really isn't. I'm just curious how a girl as beautiful and amazing as you remained single and untouched as long as you have."

I blushed and dropped my eyes, only to have Edward tilt my chin up with his hand. I bit my lip, contemplating my answer. "Well, growing up as the police chief's daughter didn't exactly help. No guy wants to date the girl who's dad has several firearms and a badge that gives him authority to use them as he chooses."

Edward nodded slightly in agreement. "No, I suppose that didn't help."

"And when I started here, I did get asked out by guys, much more than I ever expected. But I haven't really found anyone with the kind of connection I'm looking for to have that kind of physical connection. I tried to force it a couple times, but I've only let two guys get beyond the kissing stage, at least until I met you." I blushed again and pressed my face into his chest. Edward's hand drifted in lazy circles along my back, relaxing me.

"What did you let them do? I'm only asking so I know how to gauge what we do together without making you feel uncomfortable." He seemed calm, but I felt the tenseness in his body and heard a hint of jealousy in his voice.

"Um, well, both guys I let go under my shirt. And one touched me…_there_, but over my clothes. When he tried for under, I stopped him. And I didn't really reciprocate anything. I guess part of me is looking for something more, something special, before I give myself to a guy because of my mom. I don't want to feel trapped and end up destroying lives because I suddenly decide I don't want what I've chosen anymore. And from what I gathered from my dad, she just seemed to jump from one man to another. Maybe it's naïve because I've never had sex, but I don't want to become one of those girls who has sex indiscriminately."

"I don't think there's anything wrong with that, Bella. Random sex is not all it's cracked up to be," he responded quietly.

"What about you? What's your past like? And what really happened between you and Tanya?" I asked timidly.

Edward sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I guess I should say that I've only had one real girlfriend before I met you. Her name was Bree and we were together in high school. She and I were each other's firsts and I thought even though we were going to different colleges, we could make it work. That we loved each other enough to get through it. But that didn't happen. After our first semesters, things ended between us. We're friendly, but I wouldn't say we're friends."

"After Bree, I spun out of control for a while. Being on the team helped get me laid anytime I felt like it and I used that to my advantage. I drank a lot and was close to blowing my chances on the team. Emmett and Jazz finally intervened, and after Emmett beating some sense into me, I turned things around. I didn't randomly hook-up with girls anymore, but I also didn't get involved with anyone seriously. I dated girls, but never really found myself interested enough to let things progress into a real relationship."

I nodded and waited for him to elaborate on Tanya, but he stayed silent. "So…what about Tanya?"

He sighed heavily. "Tanya. Tanya was a mistake. Her brother and I were good friends growing up and by default Tanya and I were friends. I think our parents always thought that we'd eventually get together and I guess I figured since everyone else expected us to work, that we would. We didn't. She didn't care about anything but my football career and how much money we – she – would have; how much of a celebrity status she could gain. I guess there was something about me that was tolerable to her, but I knew her true motives and eventually grew tired of her shit and ended everything with her completely."

I nodded, processing all the information he was throwing at me. How had he dated all these different girls without once getting serious with any of them? Not to mention all the girls who would kill for the chance to have just one date with him, and yet he found me alluring enough to want to call me his girlfriend after only two weeks of knowing each other? And while we were on that subject, how had he gotten past all my defenses so that I was completely at ease lying naked next to him, and with becoming as physically involved as we were?

"Are you okay?" he asked, anxiety evident in his eyes.

"Yeah," I answered, nodding, "I'm okay. Kind of a heavy conversation for first thing in the morning. But I did ask." I shrugged and looked down, playing with the edge of the sheet.

His fingers found my chin again and he gently lifted it. "Bella? I want you to know I've _always_ been careful. And the team has to go through testing every six months, for more than just drugs, so I know I'm clean. I haven't been with anyone since my last testing. I just, I don't want you to have to worry about any of that with me. Should we get to that point. I mean, I'm certainly hoping to, but I don't want to pressure you, okay?"

I smiled, "I know, Edward. Thank you for being so open about everything with me. It means a lot to me." I leaned in and kissed him, my stomach rumbling loudly.

He pulled back, laughing. "I think I need to feed you."

I smacked at him playfully, "I'm not a dog!"

"I know," he smiled, "but I'm not being a very good boyfriend by not making my gorgeous girlfriend breakfast. Not very gentlemanly to let her starve."

He rose and pulled me up after him. I glanced around to locate my clothes, but Edward handed me a shirt before I could put them back on. I smiled shyly at him and slipped it on along with my panties. It was a burnt orange Texas shirt and I had to refrain from lifting it up to smell Edward's scent all over it. It hung to mid-thigh on me and Edward's eyes darkened for a moment when he looked at me.

He took my hand and led me out of his room and down the hall. The kitchen was on the left and I squealed when I saw it. Blushing hard, I clamped my hand over my mouth as I took in the state of the art kitchen. Beautiful granite countertops, stainless steel appliances with a Sub-Zero refrigerator and a radiant heat tile floor. Edward looked at me sharply, startled at my outburst.

"I think I'm in love," I breathed, looking around in awe. "This is the most fantastic kitchen I've ever seen! I can't believe this is in an apartment."

"You like to cook?" Edward asked, smiling.

I nodded furiously, "I love it, but living at the house limits it. They don't really like us using the kitchen. Can I make breakfast?" I bounced on the balls of my feet, excitedly.

He threw his head back and laughed. "If it makes you that happy, beautiful girl, you can do anything you want," he said, indulging me.

I beamed at him, "Thank you!" I ducked around him and ran to the fridge, searching through it to see what he had for me to work with. I pulled out eggs, ham, cheese, bell pepper and onion for omelets. I turned around and set the items on the counter and looked up to where Edward leaned against a baby grand piano across his living room, watching me with a smile.

My jaw dropped. "You have a piano?"

He chuckled at me, "Yes, I have a piano. Easily distracted are we?"

I glanced around the rest of the living room that also had a small dining area off to the side. The apartment was incredible. Luxury at its finest and I was jealous. The entire apartment was immaculately furnished and was unlike any college apartment I'd ever seen. I slowly stepped out of the kitchen and walked into the middle of the room, finally taking in my surroundings. "How the hell did I miss all of this last night?"

"Well, you were a little insistent on just going to the bedroom."

"What building is this? What floor are we on?" I gaped at the view of the downtown skyline from the windows.

He flushed slightly, "Um, we're at 21 Rio…the penthouse apartment."

"Oh, my God! Are you kidding me?" I yelped in astonishment. "Fuck, Edward. How can you afford this place? I can't imagine what the rent must cost."

He fidgeted. "Well, I get a full scholarship for playing ball, so I save money there. And my parents both have good jobs, plus cost of living down here is a fraction of what Chicago is, so…"

I swallowed and closed my eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry, Edward. That was an appallingly rude question to ask. It's none of my business. I'm just going to go make breakfast…"

Edward reached out and grabbed my hand, sitting down on the piano bench and pulling me into his lap. "It's okay, Bella. I realize it is sort of a shock. I don't exactly have the typical college apartment." He pulled my hair to one side of my neck and kissed along the exposed skin.

I sighed and melted into his arms, breakfast completely forgotten. He pulled the shirt to expose my shoulder and kissed along that skin, too. "Mmmmm," I hummed, pressing my ass against his lap and squirming slightly. His hands gripped my hips as a rumbling sound came from his chest.

"Breakfast. You need to eat, we were going to have breakfast," Edward hurriedly stated, picking me up from his lap.

I stood, dazed and flustered for a moment, then mumbled "Breakfast," and walked back into the kitchen.

I was chopping vegetables with Edward sitting on a bar stool, watching appreciatively, when a knock pounded on the door.

Edward rose, frowning and mumbling under his breath and pulled open the door.

"Cullen, you ready man? Time to get our burrito on!" Emmett's voice boomed through the apartment as he burst in. I stood there, horrified as Emmett and Jasper strolled in, with me in nothing but one of Edward's shirts in his kitchen…making breakfast.

"Hey! Ever think you might want to wait to be invited in?" Edward yelled, but they just kept walking.

"Whatever, dude, when have we ever needed an invite to come in? It's my turn to pick where we go for lunch and I want burritos!" Emmett announced, smiling widely, before turning to see me standing there. He froze and Jasper walked into him, grumbling and pushing at him before stopping to stare at me with wide eyes.

I blushed harder than I had ever blushed in my life, praying the kitchen counter hid my pant-less-ness.

Jasper smiled, "Bella, pleasure to see you this morning. Did you sleep well?"

I blinked at his politeness and, amazingly, blushed even harder. Emmett leaned over the counter and whistled. "Damn, B, you have fucking sexy legs!"

Both Edward and Jasper hit him, hard. "You asshole, can't you see she's already embarrassed enough with you two showing up?" Edward snapped. "Turn around, both of you."

They both turned around, Emmett whining about being hit and Edward took my hand, pulling me in front of him and following me back to his room. I stopped at the bed.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. I didn't really think about our plans for lunch together. I'll get those assholes to leave. I can't believe they just walked in like that." He shook his head, angry.

"It's…it's okay. I don't want you to change your plans just for me. I can go." I ran my fingers through my hair, still trying to cool off from my embarrassment.

"Hey, B! Want to get burritos with us?" Emmett called through the door. "I'll buy yours to make up for embarrassing you."

I couldn't help the giggle that escaped me. The entire situation was absurd. "I don't know, where are you going?" I called back and Edward smiled at me.

"Freebirds?" he answered hesitantly.

"Oh, hell yeah! I'll let you buy me a burrito from there!" I smiled back at Edward. "Is that okay? I don't want to invite myself along for guy time."

"It's great, baby." He kissed my forehead. "Do we need to swing by your house so you can change?"

"Actually, I brought a bag, but left it in your car. Would you mind?"

"Absolutely. I'll be back in a couple minutes, okay?" I nodded and he headed to the door. I heard him yelling at both Emmett and Jasper before the slam of a door. Not long after, I heard footsteps approaching and a soft knock.

"Bella?" Edward's voice came through. I walked over and opened the door, standing behind it. He handed me my bag and I went into the bathroom to change while Edward dressed in his room. I came out and he smiled, holding his hand out to me.

My stomach grumbled again, louder than before and we both laughed. "Come on, I definitely need to feed you."

* * *

**So there you have it, let me know what you think if you have a moment. I love reviews and have been pretty darn good at responding and sending teasers.**

**As always, A_Letter_To_No_one is my beta and she freaking rocks on so many levels! I can't thank her enough for making my story better and encouraging me to keep writing. She's why this ever saw the light of day to begin with. You should definitely check out her story, One Street Over!**

**I entered the Baby, It's Cold Outside contest! So go check out the entries and vote for your favorite! I'm going to get my ass kicked, but it was fun and I'm looking forward to revealing which one is mine. ****Vote now through Dec 14! http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/~babyitscoldoutsidecontest**


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own Twilight, or any universities mentioned here, or Facebook, or Freebirds. Once again there is citrus in this chapter, so please be 18 before reading. Chapter is now beta'd! A GINORMOUS thank you to my awesome, fabulous, beta-love-of-my-life, A Letter To No One****. She's the best beta ever, and has an awesome story of her own, One Street Over, that you should all go read!  
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**A giant, huge THANK YOU to everyone reading/reviewing/alerting this story! Every single one of you makes me smile and I can't thank you enough for encouraging me in this endeavor. Also, an apology to cutiebear89, who asked me yesterday when I was updating and I unknowingly lied and said last night or this morning. It is no longer morning, so I'm sorry for inadvertently lying to you!  


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Lunch was interesting. The guys obviously frequented the Freebirds restaurant often, as everyone behind the counter knew them by name and their orders. I placed my order and blushed when the guy building my burrito winked and flirted with me a little. Edward noticed and latched onto me, wrapping his arms around my waist and nuzzling the side of my neck, before kissing my cheek.

"Getting everything you want for your burrito, baby? Can't have _my_ beautiful girlfriend starving," he asked, glaring at the guy helping me. The guy's eyes widened and he began rushing to finish my burrito under Edward's death stare. He stuttered out an apology to Edward before turning around to wrap my burrito.

I turned my head to look up at him, "Really, Edward? Did you want to lick me, too? Maybe piss on my leg to mark your territory?" His face turned sheepish and I gave him my bitch brow.

He mumbled something under his breath and released his arms from around my waist to take my hand in his as we made our way to pay. He paid for his burrito and lost to Emmett in the fight to pay for mine.

We found a table in the back and all three boys began devouring their burritos like it was the last meal they would ever have. I sat stunned for a moment then burst out laughing at them. They froze, looking at me with bewildered eyes. "Pha?" Emmett asked around a mouthful of burrito.

I shook my head, still giggling. "Nothing. You guys just reminded me of some friends I have back home. Those boys ate like starved wolves. Big, slobbering messes attacking their food." I smirked at them as I tore a strip of foil from the top of my burrito and took a delicate bite. I closed my eyes and moaned at the delicious-ness filling my mouth.

Three sets of eyes were suddenly on me, and I swallowed. "What?" I asked, blushing at their looks.

"Um, you just sort of…that is, that sound was…" Edward stammered, looking at me with burning eyes. He licked his lips when his gaze dropped to my lips, and then opened his mouth to speak again.

Emmett laughed, loudly. "What Cullen is trying to say is that sound you just made was a sex sound!" Edward immediately glared at both Emmett and Jasper, who was also laughing now and I looked down at my food, hiding behind my hair.

I could still hear laughing when Edward leaned over, putting his arm around my shoulders. He nuzzled his nose in my hair and his velvet voice softly floated to my ear, "I thought I was the only one that could make you make that noise. I guess I'll just have to try harder to find out what sounds only I can elicit."

I elbowed him, still blushing, but finally looked back up, mockingly glaring at him. "What can I say," I shrugged and smirked, "I really love burritos."

* * *

They guys finished eating well before I did and began going over the game from yesterday, what went right, what went wrong, how they could change and improve. I tuned it out, enjoying my lunch and Edward's hand idly playing with my hair. I people watched, amused with the sneaky looks and blatant stares of others in the restaurant at the guys. I perked up when I saw Angela enter and started to call out to her when a cute boy followed in behind her, placing his hand on the small of her back and she smiled shyly at him.

I wondered if this was the boy from her calculus class and smiled as I watched the two of them interact.

"What are you smiling about, beautiful girl?" Edward asked, close to my ear.

I nodded my head in their directions as they settled at a table further up in the restaurant. "That's my little sister, Angela. I'm guessing that's the guy from one of her classes she was sort of interested in."

Edward followed my gaze, his eyes landing on them. He furrowed his brow, "Isn't that the girl who walked in your room and outed me?"

I lifted one corner of my mouth, "Yes, that was her. She's still apologizing for that. I keep telling her she did me a favor. Who knows how long it would have taken you to actually come clean?"

"Bella," he said, appropriately chagrined, "I really did plan to tell you that day. I was just distracted by you."

I rolled my eyes playfully, "Sure you were, Edward." I looked over at him, his face apologetic. I leaned over and kissed his cheek, "It's okay, Edward. It's done."

Angela chanced to look over at our table and waved when she saw me. I waved back, grinning at her. "Is that the guy?" I mouthed to her and she gave a quick nod. He noticed her distraction and looked over to where we sat and almost choked on his food. He said something to her and she answered before they both stood and made their way back to us. She shot me a glance and I tilted my head at her slightly, biting my lip.

"Hi, Angela," I greeted her as they approached.

"Hey, Bella! Having lunch?" she said, fidgeting with her hands.

"Yeah, we were just finishing up." I smiled at the guy standing behind her with a sort of stunned look on his face as he stared at the guys. "I'm Bella, Angela's big sister in our sorority. This is my boyfriend, Edward, and his friends, Jasper and Emmett."

He snapped his attention to me, with an embarrassed smile. "I'm Ben, I- I'm in Angela's calculus class. Great game, yesterday." He nervously glanced at the other guys and they offered friendly greetings to both of them.

"Angela, nice to see you again. Under slightly better circumstances," Edward joked and she laughed.

"Sorry about that, Edward," she began, but I cut her off.

"Ang, stop apologizing. It's fine. By the way, have you invited anyone to Crush yet?" I added with an innocent smile.

Angela gave me a death look, "Uh, no. Not yet. I was working on that."

"Oh, you don't want to wait too long. It's only two weeks away." I winked at her, smiling playfully.

"Have you invited anyone?" she shot back, arching one eyebrow. Her eyes twinkled at me.

I turned to Edward, Jasper and Emmett, "Do you three want to come to our Crush party in a couple weeks? It's our sorority kick off party for the year. The point is to invite as many boys as possible so we can all meet potential new love interests."

"Why don't you and I go out just the two of us that night, instead?" Edward asked in a temptingly persuasive voice as he brushed his fingers along the curve of my ear before finding that spot behind it that made me crazy. I fought against a shiver and bit my lip again.

"Hey, no way, Cullen!" Jasper interjected, breaking Edward's spell. "If Bella doesn't go, Em and I can't go and meet all of her hot single sorority sisters."

I smirked at Edward, "Can't fault his logic."

He sighed and conceded, glaring at both of them before kissing my cheek. "Just as long as other guys there understand you are already taken."

"Ha, I doubt other guys will even notice me once they see the great Edward Cullen and friends. Then all they'll see is football." I snarked and rolled my eyes. "In fact, maybe none of you should come, the other girls might get mad if all the guys ignore them."

"When is it?" Jasper asked, laughing with everyone else.

"September 13th," Angela supplied and shyly looked at Ben. "You should come, too. If you want." He smiled slowly at her and nodded, agreeing to go. Angela suddenly turned to me, "Hey, isn't that-"

"A Thursday?" I jumped in. "Yeah, which is good. No football rules about not going out." I caught her eyes with mine, trying to relay that I didn't need it getting out that it was also my birthday.

* * *

Monday night found me once again in our chapter room, reading the next few chapters of Dante's _Inferno,_ while the full chapter meeting commenced. I managed to tune out the latest discussions on the upcoming Greek Week activities, and the doorbell ringing, and the heavy footsteps up the stairs. In fact, I managed to block out everything around me until I heard my name being called. Surprised, I whipped my head up, only to be greeted by Emmett's smiling face.

"What's up, B?" he grinned at me.

I gaped at him, trying to understand why he would be here, in my house, at our meeting. "Hey, Emmett?" I said slowly, making it sound like a question.

"Whatcha reading that's so interesting?"

"Dante's _Inferno_," I answered, still confused.

He scrunched up his face, "Seriously? That sounds terrible."

I laughed, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm the fraternity rep from the frat paired with you for Greek Week. And now that I know you're here, I have big plans for you. You are going to be our secret weapon." He smirked at me and I felt nervous butterflies in my stomach erupt from their cocoons. This was not good and I needed to start thinking of an escape plan.

"You're in a frat?" I choked out and he let out a booming laugh.

"Didn't know I was so cool, huh? Football plus frat, that's better than Edward." He waggled his eyebrows and I burst out laughing. "Hey, B. Is that hot little number sitting next to you single?"

My eyes shot to Rosalie, sitting next to me, who gave him a slow Cheshire cat grin. "Oh, I'm very single at the moment," she purred and Emmett practically started drooling.

"That so? What a shame, a beautiful girl like you. Don't suppose you'd be free for lunch tomorrow?" he asked, giving her a killer smile, dimples included.

Rose looked him over and then flipped her hair over her shoulder, "I might be at the commons around one tomorrow, if you happen to be in the neighborhood."

I didn't think it was possible, but his grin got even bigger. "See you then, gorgeous," he winked at her, then turned back to me. "Later, B! Remember, big plans!" He waved to the rest of the girls who all called out goodbyes as he retreated down the stairs.

Rose leaned over to me after he disappeared, "Bella, you've been holding out. That boy is hot!"

I giggled and shook my head, but a part of me was excited, I hoped it would work out so that I'd have someone else to go to games with me. Plus, it might be fun to have someone to double with.

The meeting ended and Rose followed Alice and I back to our room to pump me for information on Emmett, while Alice whined about me not hooking her up with a football player.

* * *

Edward and I spent most of our nights together at his place that week, with the exception of Thursday and Friday. The upcoming game against Texas Tech was in Lubbock and the team left Thursday afternoon. We had studied together, and cooked together, and slept naked together…with a lot of kissing and touching thrown in. He had also helped me change my Facebook privacy settings as I'd been flooded with both happy and hate posts on my wall once I'd confirmed my relationship with him. It seemed there were a significant number of girls out there who despised me for it, along with a high number of threats if I turned out to be a football curse.

By Saturday afternoon I was dying to see him again even if it was just on TV. I was anxious to see his strong jaw and captivating green eyes. Just seeing him made me happy. I was a little terrified of how fast and how much he was making me fall for him, but I was in too deep to go back. Now all I could do was enjoy the ride. When the team came out, I immediately searched to find him and once I did, I didn't look away. While I kept vague tabs on what was happening with the game, I always watched for Edward.

The camera did flash a close up of him when the team was standing on the sidelines, before the coin toss. He winked and flashed that dazzling crooked smile at the camera, giving a small wave before he focused back on the game ahead. I couldn't help but blush and smile, hoping that was for me. I watched the game with Rose, Alice, Kate, Maggie and Siobhan at Rose's apartment, and I really enjoyed hanging out with them. It was nice to not have to worry about the other catty girls and just enjoy the game.

Emmett waved during the game, even mouthed "Hi, Rosie" to the camera. Rose looked pleased and did say things were going _very_ well between the two of them. I learned that Jasper was the kicker for the team and Emmett was a strongside linebacker, whatever that meant. The girls tried to explain more about the game, and I was slowly finding I was able to follow the game and actually understand what was going on.

We won the game, but it was close, 27-24, and I could tell the team was not happy about the game in general. One of the reporters did interview Edward after the game, asking questions about his playing, and I could see he was beating himself up over his performance. Just before the interview ended, the reported switched gears entirely.

"So, Edward, I hear you have a new love interest? Care to comment on the rumors flying about that?" he asked with a lighthearted smile.

Edward smirked for a moment before nodding once. "I do have a girlfriend currently. We met on the first day of classes." My favorite smile spread across his face as he glanced at the camera, "She's great."

The other girls squealed in excitement and I blushed furiously, thankful it was an away game so there was no chance of me getting caught on camera.

The reporter chuckled, "Any other information you want to share? There are a lot of unhappy ladies at your school I hear."

Edward shook his head good naturedly, "Nah, she's pretty shy. _Really_ shy actually, and while I think it's freaking adorable, she'd kick my butt for talking about her on national television. And I think I'd like to keep her around for a while, so our relationship is going to stay private."

"Fair enough, at least we were able to get you to confirm the relationship." The reporter smiled and slapped Edward on the shoulder as he headed back to the locker room.

I blushed even harder and grabbed my phone, sending him a text about kicking his butt for talking about me on TV. I received a playful one back a few minutes later telling me he couldn't wait for his punishment. My body felt hot as I read his words and I couldn't wait to see him Sunday afternoon. The team was leaving early Sunday morning, but with an almost seven hour trip, wouldn't be back until the afternoon.

* * *

On Sunday, I woke earlier than usual, unable to sleep knowing I would see Edward soon. I grabbed my books and laptop, heading downstairs to study. I finished_ Inferno_ ahead of class schedule and spent a couple hours outlining and brainstorming my mid-term paper on the book. A few hours into my studying, other girls began to filter through and I switched to my Rhetoric of War class and the massive twenty-page paper I would have to turn in at the end of the semester.

I found the class topics and discussions fascinating, as I'd never really examined the semantics, marketing and selling of war before. The teacher's assistant leading the class, on the other hand, I despised. I'd taken a few classes in the College of Education so when I was in grad school and if I ever became a professor, I would have a basic idea of how to lead a class. This guy, however, thought his Cornell undergraduate degree was all he needed. His condescending attitude and the subtle snide remarks to embarrass anyone who disagreed with him rubbed me the wrong way. As much as I enjoyed the class topics, I couldn't wait to never see this guy again.

I researched for another hour or so and then called it quits to head upstairs to shower and dress. I had a text from Edward saying they should be back in about an hour. Maggie had mentioned that some of the actual girlfriends would meet at the practice field to be there when the guys made it back from away games. So she was picking me up to ride over together. I hadn't told Edward and I was hoping it would be a good surprise to have me there. I hopped in her car with an anxious stomach and thanked her for the ride.

"No problem," she said, smiling, "You don't have a car?"

"Not here. I have a truck back home, but I wasn't entirely sure it would make it all the way from Washington to Texas."

She laughed. "Are you excited to see Edward?"

I nodded, "Yeah, I hope he doesn't mind my showing up at the field. I didn't tell him and I'm not sure how he feels about surprises."

"Oh, something tells me he won't mind at all. The way that boy looks at you, he is completely head over heels for you."

I grinned and blushed, chewing on my lip. After parking, we joined the small group of girls waiting together, chatting amicably. It wasn't long before the three buses pulled into the parking lot and guys began descending from them. I searched for Edward's face in the growing crowd, finally seeing him step off a bus after Jasper and Emmett.

He glanced once at the remaining girls still waiting to find their boyfriends with a somewhat depressed look on his face but as he started to turn to Jasper, he did a double take and locked eyes with me, before giving me my favorite grin, making my heart stutter in my chest. I felt an aching relief at seeing him in person again, stunned by how much I missed him.

He made his way toward me, navigating the crowd quickly. I stepped forward a little, meeting him at the end, and he grabbed me around the waist, lifting me and kissing me like I was the air he needed to breathe. My arms wrapped around his neck, with one hand burying itself in his gorgeous copper sex-hair. Our lips molded to one another's as our tongues slid and slipped against each other and I sighed at the taste and feel of him. Already, I was uncomfortably turned on.

Finally, we pulled apart, foreheads resting against each other as our panting breaths mingled. "Hi," I breathed and I felt his chuckle.

"Hey, baby," he softly kissed me again, "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," I whispered and he reluctantly set me back down. I looked up at him, smiling down at me with the sunlight dancing in his hair and intense green eyes dark with emotion. My breath seized and my heart clenched with an emotion I'd never felt in my life. Love. I was completely, and without a doubt, one hundred percent in love with Edward Cullen.

I felt the air leave my lungs in one long rush and all I could do was stand there and stare at Edward. How was it even possible that I'd fallen in love with him already? It was too soon, too fast. Yes, we were getting to know each other, but really, there was so much more to learn about each other. And yet, I knew with utter certainty I was in love with him. I wanted to be with him constantly and it hurt to be apart for even two and a half days. When he touched me, kissed me, I felt it everywhere. I craved his touch, I reveled in how he looked at me, and I wanted to drown myself in the sound of his velvet voice.

My only problem now: I had no idea what to say or how to act. I couldn't tell him I loved him, that was a sure fire way to find myself alone and heartbroken. It would scare any guy away to make that kind of declaration so soon into a relationship. I began to fear I would blurt it out since it seemed to be the only thought running through my head. What if I did something stupid or crazy, like started watching him while he slept or something equally stalker-ish? Shit, why did this revelation have to hit me now, when he was standing right in front of me? Why couldn't I have realized this when I was alone and had time to process everything?

"Bella? Are you okay, baby?" Edward's concerned voice broke through my thoughts. He cupped my cheek, stroking his thumb along my skin, looking at me with worried eyes.

I shoved my thoughts away and forced myself to focus on right now. "Sorry! I'm fine. Just thinking…" My voice trailed off as I tried to think of any lie to give him but coming up with nothing. So instead, I kissed him. Hard. I decided this was one way I could let my feelings for him show, without freaking him out. Edward responded immediately, with equal fervor, and I melted into him.

"Cullen!" a gruff voice with a Texas twang called out. We jumped apart and I looked down, blushing furiously.

"Hey, Coach," Edward answered, smiling uncomfortably.

An older, gray haired gentleman approached us, his eyes running over me once before giving a little nod and turning to Edward. "We'll go over those new plays we discussed on the bus starting this week, I want those ready for OU."

"Sounds good, Coach. Hey, I want you to meet Bella, my girlfriend." Edward slid his arm around my waist, pulling me into his side.

I looked up shyly and smiled at him, "Hello, it's nice to meet you."

He smiled back, "Nice to meet you, too." He studied me again for a moment and nodded once more, "You're good for him. He plays better since meeting you. Gives him someone to play for."

I ducked my head and blushed all over again, "Um, thank you?"

He gave a sharp laugh and put his hand on Edward's shoulder. "I'll see you at practice. You keep her around, she's genuine." He turned back to me, "You let me know if he gets out of line or if he doesn't treat you right. I'll set him straight, alright?"

"Yes, sir," I giggled.

"Thanks, Coach," Edward said, half sarcastically. The coach walked off and Edward led me over to his car.

* * *

Once we were back at Edward's apartment, he tried to persuade me to go back to his bedroom, but I was too unsettled to let myself get carried away with him like that. Instead, I asked him to play for me. Edward had played his piano for me a couple times before and it was so soothing and amazing to watch him like that. His hands moved so smoothly over the keys, like water over rocks in a river. He agreed, but pulled me to sit on the bench with him, settling me between his legs and his arms on either side of me while he played. The music was beautiful, lilting and haunting and sweet. I didn't recognize the melody, but I never wanted it to end. I leaned against him, resting my head against his shoulder and closing my eyes, letting the music wash over me. The song ended softly and Edward drew his arms around me, lightly kissing my neck.

"That was beautiful," I murmured. "What's it called? Who composed it?"

"Bella's Lullaby. I wrote it. For you," he said quietly.

I opened my eyes, twisting slightly to stare up at him, "What?"

He lifted one corner of his mouth in a smile, "It's something that just came to me after I met you. After you told me you had trouble sleeping. It's a lullaby; your lullaby." His smile changed into a smirk, "I think it worked too, you are much more relaxed than you were when we got here." He slid one hand up to my cheek. "You're sure you are okay, beautiful girl?"

I smiled and nodded, overwhelmed by his generosity and talent. "I've never been better. I don't think anyone has ever given me anything as wonderful as your song." I felt tears prick my eyes, but for once, I didn't look away and try to hide them. "Thank you, Edward. I know it isn't enough to just say thank you, but thank you for the most perfect gift I've ever been given." My tears slid slowly over my cheeks and he wiped them away with his thumb.

"You're very welcome, Isabella. I don't think there's anything I wouldn't do for you." His voice was low and rough with emotion and he dipped his head to capture my lips with his. His kiss was insistent and I let go completely. Our tongues danced together and the heat between us flamed swiftly.

Edward's hands grasped my waist, lifting me up onto the top of the piano. His hands traveled over my body, shedding my clothing and trailing warm, open-mouthed kisses along my neck and shoulders. His mouth moved down to my breasts, tongue swirling around my nipples as he sucked and nipped at the hardened peaks. I moaned and tugged at his hair with my hands, earning moans from him in return.

Slowly, so slowly I thought I might spontaneously combust, he kissed his way down my stomach and along one side of my hips to the inside of my thigh. I felt my body tremble in anticipation, feeling my arousal coiling low between my legs. He brushed a feather light kiss along my pussy and I shuddered, whimpering his name. I cried out when his tongue flicked against my clit as he slid two fingers inside me. Holy shit, if I thought his fingers were amazing, his mouth was fucking magical.

I writhed and moaned and begged for him to give me more, but he teased me deliberately. He sucked and massaged his tongue against my clit while stroking me inside before switching to his fingers teasing circles while his tasted my entrance and then switching all over again.

I sobbed and begged for my release but Edward was relentless, he would drive me to the edge over and over again, but never let me fall, never let me fly into the ecstasy I felt trembling just out of my reach. "Fuck, Edward…so, so good…please, baby, please," I moaned and finally, something changed in the way he kissed and stroked me. His fingers pumped into me harder, seeking out the spot inside me that made me insane with pleasure. He sucked hard on my clit and pressed his tongue against it roughly. "Fuck!" I yelled, and lifted my head to see Edward's dark, hooded green eyes looking up at me as his teeth grazed my clit and I came intensely, screaming his name.

I floated in my euphoria while Edward gradually kissed his way back up my body, lifting me from the top of the piano and cradling me in his lap. He lifted one hand into my hair and kissed me, the taste of myself still lingering on him. I wouldn't have thought I would like that, but I liked experiencing the evidence of what he'd just done to me. I could also feel the evidence of his own arousal pressing enticingly against my ass.

I shifted in his arms, pulling his own clothing off as I sank down onto my knees between his legs. "Bella," he whispered, but I gave him a small shake of my head and smiled softly at him.

I wrapped my hand around his cock and pressed a kiss to the tip of it. Edward blew out his breath harshly, as he bit his lip and tangled his hands in my hair. My tongue came out and licked across before slowly sliding my lips around the head and sucking him into my mouth. He groaned loudly as I took him deeply into my mouth, feeling him at the back of my throat. Languidly, I sucked my way back up, massaging my tongue against him along the way and stroking my hand up his shaft in synch with my mouth. His hands tightened in my hair, pulling in a good way, and his eyes rolled back as I worked my mouth on him.

He seemed to love every stroke and lick and suck, and I started to lightly graze my teeth along his cock when I moved my head up and swirled my tongue around the tip of his cock before sucking him back into my mouth.

"Bella, oh God, fuck…that feels fucking amazing…God, your mouth is so good…fuck, fuck, fuck!" he panted and murmured more words of encouragement as I bobbed my head faster. "Oh, God! Fuck, baby, I'm going to come…shit, your mouth is so warm and wet and _fuck_," he yelled and I slid him as far into my mouth as I possibly could as he came. When he finally finished, I slid him out of my mouth and Edward grabbed me, pulling me into his lap once again. He buried his face into my hair, breathing deeply.

"Jesus, Bella. That was fucking fantastic." He kissed the top of my head and then raised it to look down into my eyes. "Did I hurt you? I didn't mean to pull your hair so hard; sorry baby." His hands pushed back into my hair and tenderly massaged my scalp.

I bit my lip and looked up at him shyly, "I kind of liked it. It hurt a little, but in a good way."

Edward's eye flashed dark and lust-filled for a moment, before he closed his eyes and swallowed thickly, snuggling me closer for a moment. Then he scooped me into his arms and stood, walking back to his bedroom where he proceeded to spend the next few hours exploring my body over and over with his mouth.

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**So there's chapter 7. I know I'm mentioning a few things here and there in chapters (like Greek Week) that might seem random, but I promise, they will come into play. I have plans for these love birds, like sex, coming up in chapter 9. Only one more chapter to go before Bella finally cashes in her v-card. :D**

**Reviews get teasers from chapter 8 and I'll be faster with my replies this week. I'm pretty sure I've responded to everyone (unless the review was left anonymously) and if I haven't, let me know!  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Here's chapter 8! I don't own Twilight or any university mentioned or Facebook or anything brand name in here. I don't own the songs Tik Tok (that's Ke$ha) or Obsession (that's Innerpartysystem).**

**Holy shit guys, I don't know what happened last chapter, but my inbox has been blowing up with alerts and reviews from my lat update! Over 40 reviews last chapter! That fucking blows my mind. I seriously, seriously love you guys! Hard core BDSM LOVE you guys! If someone is rec'ing my story, please tell me who because I would love to thank them!  
**

**Really important author's note at the bottom...  
**

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The next week was both difficult and fantastic because I spent every single spare moment I had with Edward and because the only thought that refused to leave my mind was, _I love you_. Every time he looked at me, smiled at me, kissed me, held my hand, touched me, played my body like he played the piano, it was all I could think.

And God, he was masterful at making me feel so good, he swiftly learned exactly how to touch me and taste me in ways that drove me crazy with desire. There was no denying he owned me, body, mind and soul; and that made me terrified of losing him. At night, when he was curled around me and humming my lullaby to lull me into sleep, I would soundlessly say those three words, "I love you." I desperately wanted to tell him those three little words, but adamantly refused to until he said them first. I didn't want to scare him away and I never wanted him to say them out of obligation just because I said it first.

By the time Thursday rolled around, I was a nervous wreck. I'd decided that for my birthday, I wanted to make love with Edward for the first time. Not that he would know it was my birthday. I didn't like surprises or being the center of attention and I certainly didn't need Edward feeling obligated to get me a present. We'd been together for a month; I didn't want him spending money unnecessarily on me. I had threatened Alice and Rose within an inch of their lives if they tried to pull anything at the party tonight, and prayed they would actually listen.

By the time I made it to my Rhetoric class, I was jumpy and in a crabby mood. My TA opened up the class discussion this time about 'collateral damage' and what was deemed acceptable and unacceptable by the military versus the public. I had contributed little to the discussion for most of the class when he brought up the point of staff workers at military industrial businesses and if they were acceptable collateral damage.

"For instance, a company makes boots exclusively for the military in Columbia, are those workers acceptable collateral damage if a guerrilla army sets off a bomb in the building?" he posed.

Almost everyone in my class immediately agreed that they were unacceptable collateral damage because they were civilians and not in the actual military.

I, however, decided to play devil's advocate. "I disagree. Not about the fact that they are civilians and should be off limits, but the world is far from a just or fair place. I think that's a risk they should consider when deciding to take the job. Take my sorority sister who is interning at Lockheed Martin, she knows they are a government contracting company who design things for the military. She knows that puts her at risk, and it was something she had to consider when she took the internship."

He looked me over, obviously annoyed that I hadn't just fallen in line with the rest of the class and taken the idealist view. My father was a cop; I was a realist and knew the world was not a fair place.

"So what about when your _sorority sister_ is back at your house, doing whatever it is that _sorority girls_ do? If she were attacked there is that acceptable collateral damage?" he

smirked with blatant derision and the other twenty-four students in the class laughed at his not-so-subtle jab at my being a sorority girl and all the connotations that came with it.

I glared at him openly, for once not blushing and so angry I saw red. How dare he insult me as well as a school-sanctioned organization, and in front of the entire class? I took a deep breath and fought to keep my voice neutral.

"No, when she's is not at work and is at her personal dwelling I do not believe that would be acceptable collateral damage. It's one thing if she's at her work, where she is aiding the military, but when she's at home she is not, and by definition of collateral damage as it applies in war, it would be unacceptable."

He looked at me for a moment, knowing I was pissed, and then nodded once. "Excellent point, Miss Swan." He moved on with the discussion, but I was still fuming. The class lasted only another ten minutes and I stormed out.

I grumbled under my breath and chewed on my lip as I made my way through campus to meet Edward for lunch. I bought my food and found a table outside, throwing myself into a chair and huffing as I waited for him. After a couple minutes, I felt Edward approach from behind, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

"How's my beautiful girl today?" he asked smiling as he sat in the chair next to mine. One look at my expression and he froze. "Bella?" he asked hesitantly, "What's wrong?"

"My stupid, fucking TA for my Rhetoric class is what's wrong. The asshole runs the class and thinks he knows everything. Egotistical bastard." I spat the words, still angry about what he had said to me.

Edward scooted his chair closer, sliding one hand into my hair to run his fingers through it soothingly. His scent washed over me, instantly relaxing me, and I leaned closer to him. I shifted in my seat so I could lean my head against his shoulder.

"What happened?" he softly said and I told him what had transpired in class. Edward was angry for me, but helped calm me. Edward had this uncanny knack for being able to soothe me when I was riled up. I knew it would not be a good idea to confront the person in charge of my grade, but I knew he would get a scathing review when the end of the semester came. If there was any justice, his graduate adviser would read the reviews and at the very least lecture him on how to lead a class properly.

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By the end of the day, I had finally moved on about my jackass TA. My nerves about tonight, however, had skyrocketed. I was anxious Edward might say no. He had said several times he wanted me, but my insecurities were getting the best of me. When I made it back to the house, Alice was there and vibrating with excitement to play Bella Barbie. I let her yank me up the stairs to our room where Rose was waiting with an evil grin.

I was told under explicit terms to get into the shower while they shoved a plethora of products into my arms and told me when and how to use each product. Apparently, Alice and Rose had guessed my intentions for the night. Once I had exfoliated, shampooed and conditioned the hair on my head, and then removed all other offending hair from my body in one way or another, I emerged and was attacked. Rose styled my hair while Alice perfected my make-up. I updated my Facebook status to read: Forced into playing Bella Barbie, someone save me!

In the end, my hair fell in smooth, silky waves and curls down my back and shoulders and my make-up was flawless, giving me the natural, glowing look with sultry eyes. Rose bought me a royal purple ruched halter top with a slight sweetheart neckline and a dark denim mini skirt for my birthday and Alice presented me with the accompanying knee high black boots with three inch chunky heels and silver buckles along the sides. And as my most surprising gift, Angela gave me a deep blue silk and lace corset with matching lace thong. I suspected Alice and Rose had forced her into shopping and giving me this present as Angela blushed bright red when she stopped by to give it to me before running out of the room like her ass was on fire.

Both Rose and Alice made me model the lingerie before I put on the rest of my new clothes. I practiced walking in my new boots while they dressed for the party themselves and tried to give me advice for later tonight.

"You have to stay relaxed," Alice lectured, "The more you tense up, the more it's going to hurt. Oh, and make sure he gets you to come at least once before, the more wet you are, the better."

"Alice!" I chastised, blushing. I didn't know why this shocked me with as she had hounded me for every detail of our previous escapades, but somehow it did.

"Oh, stop freaking her out, Alice." Rose interjected, "What you really need to concentrate on is getting yourself off quickly, if you think it will even happen, because you're a virgin and any guy fucking a virgin isn't going to last long. Aside from the whole Captain Kirk mentality, your hoo-ha will probably be like a vice grip to him and that's going to make him lose his shit in like a minute, tops."

I gave her a confused look, "Captain Kirk mentality?"

Rose shot me an amused smirk, "You know, boldly going where no man has gone before?"

I shook my head, laughing. "Okay, enough advice. Thanks girls, but I think I'll be fine. Women have been loosing it for eons before me without too much trouble and I don't think I'll be the exception."

They finished dressing and we took pictures of the three of us together. The night had finally begun to look up. Right before leaving to head downtown to the club we had rented for our Crush party, I updated my Facebook again, this time reading: Bella Barbie transformation complete, thank god. Now if I could only find a hot football player to be my date for the night. Where, oh, where, do I find one of those…

The cab ride took no time at all and we made our way into the club while I scanned the floor for Edward as the girls dragged me to the bar. The guys were meeting us here because of a late meeting Edward had with their Coach.

For the first time, I actually ordered my own drink and was carded by the bartender who immediately picked up that today was my twenty-first birthday. He smiled and winked and flirted with me, giving me my drink for free. It was nice, but I knew I didn't want to end up wasted tonight. I knew it was odd, but I also knew Edward would never have sex with me if I was drunk. And I wanted him so much more. So I took my drink and thanked him, setting off to find a table for us to hang out at while we waited for the guys to show-up. There were already a ton of girls and guys here, so Alice decided to hit the dance floor to scope out her options. Rose and I were chatting when Ke$ha's _Tik Tok_ came on and Alice ran over squealing and grabbed my hand, knowing Rose would follow and pulled me out on the dance floor.

"Alice, you know I can't dance!" I laughed as Alice and Rose sandwiched me.

They both grinned, and Rose put her hands on my hips and began to move them in time with the music while Alice danced in front of me. Feeling a light buzz from my drink, I decided I didn't care if I made a fool out of myself. Edward wasn't here yet and I wanted to have fun with my girls. I let go of my inhibitions and started moving to my body in time with the music and trying to mimic Alice and Rose. We were all laughing and dancing, pulling Angela and Jessica into our circle, when a warm, familiar, hard body pressed up against my back. I was enveloped by Edward's intoxicating scent and his hands slid sensuously around my waist and down to grasp my hips as he moved his body with mine.

"Damn, baby, I didn't know you were such a fuckhot dancer," he rumbled in that smooth, velvet voice, lips tracing the edge of my ear. I shivered and moaned softly, closing my eyes and tilting my head to give him access to my throat as his lips skimmed along the sensitive skin there.

I spun in his arms and grabbed his hair, yanking his face to mine and kissing him deliriously. I had no thought of where I was or who was around us; all I knew was Edward and how much I needed him. His mouth molded to mine, his tongue demanding access to mine and I gave him everything he wanted and more. Edward's hands gripped my hips hard, pulling me against him and I felt his arousal hard on my stomach. I whimpered and pressed harder to him, aching for him in so many ways.

"Jesus, you two! Get a fucking room!" Rose yelled, breaking us from our little world that only held Edward, me, and all the dirty things I wanted to do to him.

"Aww, c'mon, Rosie! That was like watching porn and you ruined it," Emmett protested and I pressed my face to Edward's chest, completely mortified at having lost control like that in the middle of a crowded dance floor. I cringed thinking of how many people might have taken pictures or videos of that with their phones and would now be placing them all over the internet. I only hoped that since it was a private party and the sorority had rented out the club, the damage would be minimal, if at all.

I felt Edward laughing as he pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "Sorry Bella, didn't mean to get so carried away," he said and pulled back, smiling fondly at me. I grinned back and he traced his fingers along my cheek. "You look fucking gorgeous. Really goddamn sexy."

I blushed and smiled wider at him, finally taking in his appearance. He looked so damn hot in distressed jeans that fit him perfectly and a red button down shirt he had slightly open at the collar and the sleeves rolled up halfway. The red from his shirt made the red in his hair stand out even more and he looked like pure, unadulterated sex. Really hot, sweaty, fuck-me-til-I-can't-walk-straight sex. Or at least, what I imagined that kind of sex would be like. And I so, so badly wanted to find out what that felt like. Gah, I was so wet I could feel it on my thighs and I worried it might get out of hand.

Edward's eyes smoldered at me, like he could read my every thought and I swallowed slowly. I wanted nothing more than to drag him out of here, into a cab, and back to his place where I could have him fill everyone single one of my fantasies. Alice, however, interrupted that train of thought.

"Bella, who is this hot piece of man, standing by Edward," she asked, in a not overly quiet voice, and stared over my shoulder, practically drooling.

I looked over to see Jasper standing there, assessing Alice with a very pleased look on his face. "Alice, this is Jasper. Jasper, this is Alice. Alice is one of my best friends and Jasper is on the football team with Edward. Jasper is the kicker."

Jasper simply nodded his head and drawled, "Pleasure to meet you, miss."

"Ooo," Alice squeaked, almost vibrating as she looked at him. She leaned closer to me, "Bella, you did good! So pretty!"

Edward, Rose, Emmett and I all laughed. "Alice, you know he can hear you, right?" I asked jokingly.

"So, so pretty," was all she answered and then grabbed Jasper by the belt and guided him away. He had the happiest look on his face as she led him away.

I stared, dumbfounded, at the two of them before exchanging looks with the others. Emmett and Edward just shrugged while Rose and I giggled. Edward took my hand and lightly tugged to lead me back over to the table Rose and I had originally found. Rose and Emmett seemed to be dry humping on the floor in time to the music and I smiled, knowing that Emmett would never hurt her the way that Royce had. Rosalie needed to feel in control of the relationship and it seemed Emmett was more than willing to be her boy toy and let her lead the way.

Edward pulled me close to him, his arm sliding around my waist. "I think you might have found that football player you were looking for," he teased and I smiled at him. My heart clenched as I choked back those three words I was dying to say.

"I think I did," I softly answered and pressed a kiss along his jaw. He looked down at me, with a small smile playing on his lips and his beautiful green eyes practically glowing at me with emotion.

"Want something to drink, beautiful girl?"

I shook my head, "I'm perfect, just like this." I leaned up, kissing him, gently this time. Edward responded instantly, threading one hand into my hair and kissing me so tenderly I thought I would cry. He always had this way of making me feel so cherished and precious. I never wanted to let him go. I let out a tiny sigh against his lips and pressed my body closer to his.

Suddenly, my name was being called out over the speakers. "Bella Swan! I need Miss Bella Swan up to the stage, please."

I whipped my head around, my eyes practically bugging out of my head. What. The. Fuck. I frantically scanned the room, seeing Alice and Rose smirking rather happily at me. "There she is!" Alice yelled as loudly as she could and pointed in my direction. I was going to kill that fucking pixie.

"Get your ass up here, Bella!" Rose screamed. I added the amazon bitch to my hit list.

Trembling, I cowered against Edward, shaking my head. "Oh, no you don't, baby. I think it would be best to go up and get whatever this is over with, or it's just going to get worse," Edward chuckled in my ear. Gently he picked me up and slid us both out of the booth we had curled up in. Keeping his hands on my waist, he softly pushed me up to the stage. I kept my hands on his, gripping tightly. "Here's the birthday girl!" he called up to the guy on stage.

I whirled around, gasping in surprise at him. "H-how did you…who…you did this to me?" I sputtered in shock.

Edward's smile was evilly happy, "You didn't really think you could keep your birthday a secret did you?" He picked me up by the waist and carried me up the steps onto the stage before setting me on a piano. "Here you go," he told the guy jovially, and then narrowed his eyes at him, "but stop eye fucking my girl. She's taken." Then he turned back to me and kissed me on the cheek, "You're adorable when you blush."

I watched in horror as Edward jumped off the stage and everyone looked up at me, smiling and enjoying at my obvious embarrassment. The guy at the piano spoke into the microphone. "It looks like this is not only a Crush party, but a twenty-first birthday party tonight for Miss Bella Swan! Let's give her a big, resounding 'Happy Birthday' shall we?"

He counted to three and everyone shouted "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BELLA!" I smiled and mouthed thank you, trying to escape the stage but the piano guy wouldn't let me leave yet.

A shot was brought up on stage and handed to me; I eyed it warily, "What the hell is this?"

"It's called a Virgin Pussy!" Rose yelled and I instantly turned beet red and ducked my hair forward to hide my face. I could hear the laughter and vowed again to murder my friends, and possibly my boyfriend, too.

The piano guy chuckled into the microphone and began singing 'Happy Birthday' a la Marilyn Monroe to JFK. After an agonizingly long time, he finally finished the song and I threw back the shot, desperate to get off the stage. Everyone cheered for me and I was surprised to find the shot wasn't terrible. I glared at Edward as he helped me off the stage, smiling mischievously at me.

He pulled me into his arms as the music started up again and the party continued. "Sorry, beautiful girl. Just think of it as your punishment for not telling me it was your birthday." He smirked down at me, while I stood there, still fuming.

"Edward, that was humiliating," I grumbled and he nuzzled my neck.

"No one was laughing _at you._ Everyone thought it was fun, and besides, you looked gorgeous up there."

Alice and Rose, with Jasper and Emmett in tow, came over, wishing me a happy birthday. I narrowed my eyes at the girls. "I just want you to know, my father is a cop so I know how to murder both of you without leaving evidence." They laughed and smirked at me, denying they had anything to do with it.

Edward finally pulled me back to our table, settling me into his lap. "I'm sorry for embarrassing you, love. I know you hate being center of attention, but I knew I had to do something to make sure everyone recognized it was your birthday. And you really should have told me it was your birthday."

I thrilled when he called me 'love' I just didn't know if he meant it or it was just another pet name for me. I decided I didn't care as long as he called me it again. "I don't like being in the spotlight," I grumbled playfully, but turned serious "and I didn't want you to feel obligated to get me anything. We haven't been together for that long."

Edward's fingers traveled along my jaw, tilting my chin up. "I know, but I would have wanted to get you something anyway no matter how short or long our relationship was. And don't be mad at your friends, they didn't tell me anything."

I drew my brows together, "Then how did you know it was my birthday?"

He lifted one corner of his lips, "Easy. I looked up your student file." I looked at him, shocked. "I happen to be very charming when I want something and the woman in student records was very happy to help."

I just shook my head, unable to be truly mad at him, since I knew I should have told him it was my birthday in the first place. Of course, embarrassing the hell out of me in front of everyone here did give me license to heckle him a little. "What are you, some kind of stalker? When did you do that?"

Edward shifted uncomfortable, "Um, the day after I learned your full name? I might have also done just a little online stalking, too." The tips of his ears turned red and he smiled sheepishly. Dammit, why did he have to be so cute?

I reached up and gripped his hair, pulling his head close to mine. Resting my forehead against his, I said, "Okay, I should have told you my birthday, but you didn't need to cyberstalk me or embarrass me in front of my entire sorority, not to mention the random guys here. If you had just asked me outright when my birthday is, I would have told you."

Edward tilted his head back just slightly to be able to look into my eyes. "When is your birthday, Bella?" he asked softly.

I smiled and whispered, "Today."

My favorite, beautiful crooked smile spread across his face. "Happy birthday, Bella." He held out a small envelope I hadn't seen him pull out. I bit my lip, smiling at him, and took the envelope. I opened it and slid out the cardstock slips inside, flipping them over in my hand. My eyes traveled over the words, uncomprehending.

"Edward," I gasped, "These are third row seats for the Muse concert in February!"

He laughed and tucked my hair behind one ear. "Yes, they are, beautiful girl."

"This is too much, Edward! I can't let you spend this kind of money on me." I protested, but selfishly didn't want to give the tickets up either. I was going to be so freaking close to Matthew Bellamy!

"Do you like the present?" he asked and I nodded guiltily. "Do you want to go to the concert?" I nodded again. "Then that's all I care about. I just want to make you happy, Bella."

I finally couldn't take my excitement anymore and threw my arms around him, squeeing like a twelve-year-old fangirl and bouncing up and down on my seat. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! Edward this is the best birthday gift ever!" I kissed him again, but Rose wandered over and pulled me off him before we could really get started.

"For the love of God, you two! Can't you keep it in your pants until you're back at Edward's apartment? Stop making out and being completely anti-social. Get your asses on the dance floor and actually participate for once," she chastised.

I realized I was so happy about Edward's present I didn't care that I would make a fool of myself dancing and let her pull us out on the floor. Edward and I danced together, with him taking the lead and molding my body to fit his as we moved to the music. Like always, we seemed to have this connection between us and moved in perfect harmony. His hands traveled over my body, light brushes and teasing, faint touches of his fingertips along the places I wanted them most, slowly driving me crazy with lust.

Innerpartysystem's _Obsession_ came on and I would almost swear Edward was trying to slowly make me spontaneously combust. He held me in his arms, his eyes dark with emotions rioting within them making my knees tremble along with other parts of my body. He pressed our bodies together and my head fell back as I felt his desire for me hard against my stomach.

He slid one hand into my hair, fingers trailing up my neck and along to that magical spot behind my ear and I bit my lip so I wouldn't moan and tangled my own hands in his hair. I was so turned on, throbbing in all the right places. When his other hand slipped beneath my skirt and brushed across my wetness, I couldn't stop the moaned curse that escaped me and Edward quickly captured my mouth with his. It was so dark and crowded by that point, no one would have been able to see where his hand was. One long finger slid under my thong and along my folds before delving into me. I almost ripped Edward's hair out I pulled so hard, balancing on the fine edge of coming in the middle of a dance floor.

"Fuck, baby, I need to feel you." Edward's voice was rough and husky in my ear, making me shiver deliciously. "Can I make you come, right here on the dance floor, baby?" His hand in my hair slid down to my waist, holding me up against him.

I whimpered and pressed my face against the crook of his neck. He slowly pumped his finger into my aching pussy and I bit the top of his shoulder, my legs shaking. Edward was holding me up entirely by now. He shifted his finger inside me, rubbing this incredible spot inside me that only he seemed capable of finding and licked behind my ear, whispering, "Let me feel you. Come for me, love."

Suddenly, I was shaking and panting and coming so hard I saw stars. My whole body was flooded with pleasure as Edward gently stroked my pussy while I rode out my orgasm. I felt a deep rumbling in Edward's chest as he softly kissed along my neck. "God, your body so fucking responsive to me," he murmured.

I whimpered and forced my hands to loosen their grip on Edward's hair. "Take me home, Edward. Please," I begged, practically sobbing, "I want you…I want everything with you, tonight."

He pulled back, looking into my eyes with his wide ones. I could see the uncertainty in his as he searched mine for any signs of doubt. Finally, that intense green darkened so much his eyes were practically black. "Bella," he growled and gently removed his hand from under my skirt, earning a small whimper from me.

The next thing I knew, we were in a cab, kissing wildly, with Edward's hands dangerously close to going under my skirt again. What seemed like moments later, we were outside his apartment door and on the brink of what I hoped would be one of the best nights of my life.

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**I know, I know, I'm a total cockblocking whore. :) Deal with it.**

**_Important stuff:_ It's the holidays. Which means I have family in town. For the next two and a half weeks. So...I'm likely not going to be able to update until after they leave town. I know, it's chapter 9! The deflowering of Bella! Like I said, I'm a cockblocking whore. Sadly, I really won't have much time to write over the next two weeks and a half weeks and I hate myself for not being able to update, but it's just this once. Please forgive and don't stop giving me all the lovely, happy reviews everyone has been so kind to shower me with! **

**Many, many, many thanks and cupcakes and love to my fuckawesome beta, A Letter To No One. She is the greatest and I love her! Her story, One Street Over, rocks my world as do her emails which always have me laughing my ass off.**

**Oh yes, and the thing with the jackass TA making that comment about sororities and sorority girls in front of the entire class, totally happened to me...asshole.**

**My O/S, Sometime Around Midnight, won 3rd Place Judge's Pick! I squeed like a little girl when I saw that! :) It's on my profile if you want to check it out.  
**

**Merry Christmas and Happy New year everyone! I'll update as soon as humanly possible, promise! And reviews will still get teasers from chapter 9...it's 98% lemon with 2% pillow talk, guess what you'll be getting teased with... ;)  
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	9. Chapter 9

**Happy New Year! Surprise! I actually did have time to write this week. Be happy it was a very low key work week and I could sneak writing. :)**

**I don't own Twilight or any university mentioned or anything brand name in here. I do however own a brand new Texas hoodie thanks to my lovely hubby and a Bella & Edward ornament thanks to one of my best friends!  
**

**Again, holy fucking shit guys, I am seriously, completely blown away by the response to this story! So, so many alerts and reviews! Hard core BDSM LOVE to every single one of you! If someone is rec'ing my story, please tell me so I can thank them! A GIANT thank you to edwardrocksmysocks for pimping my story on The Twinklings: Marauding Mondays and AmeryMarie for her rec with her story!  
**

**Okay, I'll stop talking and let you get on with chapter 9. You've all been very patient and I hope this doesn't disappoint...**

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We stumbled our way down the hall, into his bedroom, still kissing hungrily. Edward pulled back briefly and switched on the lamp next to his bed, filling the room with a soft, warm glow. I reached for him, fumbling with the buttons of his shirt and lifting up to kiss him again. I was wound so tightly, despite our dance floor sexcapades. I wanted him, all of him. The force of my desire was dizzying and left me throbbing and aching just how I liked it.

"Bella, baby, slow down," he mumbles against my mouth and I froze, easing back from him. We stood by the bed, looking at each other. My heart pounded in anticipation, excitement, and just a little fear.

I wasn't afraid of Edward or being with him, I knew I wanted that more than anything. I was a little afraid of the pain I'd heard was associated with having sex for the first time. And there was a teeny, tiny piece of self-doubt that was afraid Edward might lose interest once we'd actually had sex or that I would be complete crap in bed and he would leave me.

He reached out and cupped my cheek in his hand, "Bella, are you sure?" His eyes searched mine; seeking out signs of the tiny amount of fear I was feeling. "We don't have to do this, baby. If you're not ready, it's okay." His thumb rubbing soothingly along my skin and a tiny sigh escaped me. Just that one small touch eased my nerves.

"I want to, Edward," I said softly, stepping closer to him and putting my hands on his chest.

He drew his brows together, "You're really sure? This isn't something you can undo."

Suddenly insecure, I dropped my hands and took a small step back, tilting my head so Edward's hand fell from my cheek. "Do you…not want me?" I asked in a small, trembling voice as the fear of rejection washed over me.

"Yes! God, yes," he exclaimed, pulling me into his arms and resting his forehead against mine. "Of course, I want you, Bella. I've never wanted another woman so much in my entire life. I just don't want you to rush into anything you aren't ready for. I'll wait as long you want, you're worth every second of waiting."

"Edward, I don't want to wait anymore. I've been ready for a long time, I just needed to find the right guy."

"Why me, Bella? What makes me so special?"

I raised my hands to his face, lightly holding it. I looked into his beautiful dark green eyes and felt a rush of love fill me. I didn't know how long this incredible man would be mine, but I'd be damned if I was going to waste our time together.

"Because you're wonderful. You're sweet and kind and patient and brilliant and funny and caring. You make me feel beautiful and you know how to read my moods and make me smile. You treat me like I'm a princess. Because you made me yours, and I want to be yours in every way."

I lifted up on my toes and lightly pressed my lips to his; loving the feel of his soft lips pressing back against mine.

He raised his head and slowly began trailing his fingers up my arm and along my collarbone. "You're mine?"

I nodded, my eyes holding his steadily. "All of you?" he whispered and I nodded again. His fingertips trailed over my heart and then he pressed his palm to the steady pulse beating there.

He dropped his gaze to his hand for a moment and then looked back up to my eyes. "What about this? Is your heart mine, too?"

My breath caught in my throat and my pulse quickened. I licked my lips and swallowed before opening my mouth. "My heart, too. I love you, Edward." My voice was soft, but steady and sure. I held my breath as I waited for his response.

"Bella," he growled and shoved his hands into my hair, kissing me passionately. I was left gasping for breath and blinking up at him in a lust-filled daze, when he finally pulled away. "I love you, too, Bella. I've loved you since that first night you fell asleep in my arms. You felt so perfect curled up against me, and your scent on my pillows and I just knew. I knew you were the girl I'd been searching for without even knowing I was searching."

He kissed me again, his arms tight around me and I melted against him. My heart was dancing in my chest. Somehow, this beautiful, incredible, amazing man loved me!

"I love you so much, Isabella. I don't think I can ever let you go." He kissed his way along the column of my throat and my hands slipped into his hair, grasping the silky strands. "There was one thing you got wrong, though. You're not a princess in my eyes. You are a goddess and all I want is to worship you."

This time when he kissed me, it was soft and tender. His fingers teased loose the knot at my neck, where the straps of my halter top came together. I felt the straps slide down, guided by his fingertips. Edward's hands moved around to the zipper at the back of my top and slowly lowered it slowly, letting my top drop to the floor. My skirt followed suit in quick succession, and still kissing me, Edward laid me across his bed. He lifted up from my lips and body, his eyes raking across the corset and matching lace thong, down to my knee-high boots, before traveling back up to my eyes.

"Fuck, you're so beautiful," he said, breathing heavily. The admiration and sincerity and love in his eyes made tears sting the backs of mine. The way he looked at me made me feel more beautiful than I'd ever felt in my life. I reached one hand up to clasp the back of his neck, tugging him down to me and kissing him. I slid my tongue into his mouth, tangling it with his and fiercely trying to give him back every emotion I felt flowing from him.

Edward gradually began kissing his way down my neck, lightly scraping his teeth along the curve of my collarbone and earning a quiet moan from me. His mouth continued its path down my chest and along the tops of my breasts in hot, wet licks and soft brushes of his lips along my skin. He ran the tip of his tongue just inside the edge of the corset, following the curve of one breast and just grazing my hardened nipple. I gasped in pleasure, feeling electricity jolt through my body to land right between my thighs. If I thought I'd been wet before, it was like a trickle of water in a dry creek bed compared to the river flooding my panties now.

Edward growled against my skin in satisfaction and proceeded with his leisurely exploration of my body. He lightly ran the edge of his teeth down the fabric of the corset while his hands sensuously slid up my waist and ribs, thumbs fanning out to brush over my breasts and teased circles around the tights buds of my nipples beneath the fabric. He finally reached the juncture of my thighs, nuzzling his nose against the sensitive skin over the lacy fabric, before pressing a light kiss with his tongue darting out to caress over the wet fabric for a moment. I moaned loudly and thrust my hips against his mouth, my hands gripping the sheets tightly.

He chuckled quietly and trailed his hands down as he moved his mouth to the inside of one thigh, lapping at my wetness that had spread onto my skin. I whimpered in protest as he continued his path down to my boot. Edward removed the boot and then held my foot as he kissed his way back up from my ankle to my thigh, just shy of where I wanted his lips.

I groaned in frustration as he switched to my other leg, performing the same slow, sweet torture with his tongue and lips all the way down my leg and back up again after removing the other boot. At long last, when I was panting and writhing in anticipation with little cries escaping me, he reached my pussy once more. This time he took the edge of the lace thong between his teeth and began to lazily drag it downward. I lifted my hips, all too happy to aid him in getting rid of them, and he pulled the lace over my legs before tossing them over his shoulder with a quick jerk of his head.

Edward looked up at me from between my legs, with a devastatingly sexy smirk. I whimpered again, my breathing shallow and quick, and gripped the sheets tighter. "Edward, please," I begged, "I want you, so much."

His smirk transformed into that gorgeous crooked grin of his and my heart pounded even harder. I moaned as the ache between my thighs intensified. "All in good time, love. I told you, I'm worshiping you tonight."

A sob came from me and he bent his head close to my core. "Shh," he softly blew against the tingling skin. "I'll make it all better, baby. I promise," Edward whispered and flicked his tongue along my slick folds.

I yelled out, my hips jerking from the sweet pleasure I felt from just the small touch. Edward chuckled again and rested one arm across my hips, holding them in place. His other hand teased my soft folds, tracing the edges upward and drawing light circles around my clit.

I let out my best porn star moan and grabbed his hair, pulling on it. He groaned and pressed his mouth to my pussy, tongue slipping between my folds to tease my entrance. I began babbling incoherently about how amazing his tongue was and that I loved his fingers and how fucking hard I was going to come as he continued to lick and suck and caress me with his mouth and hand. That delicious tension built higher and higher until I thought I would scream if I didn't get some kind of release soon.

Edward was relentless as he slid his tongue inside me, running the tip of it along my walls as his thumb massaged my clit, sending jolts of electric pleasure through my body. He wound me tighter and tighter, my moans and cries filling the room until at long last he sent me flying over the edge and into the ocean of ecstasy awaiting me on the other side.

I screamed his name and trembled and shook as wave after wave of pleasure ripped through me. It seemed never ending, as Edward never stopped his ministrations with his tongue and fingers.

"Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God!" I panted as I felt another orgasm forming on the heels of the one I was currently having. Edward growled against my over-sensitive skin and sent me tumbling over again.

"Edward, oh, God! I love you!" I yelled and threw my head back against the pillows. My eyes were clenched shut as I rode out the waves of pleasure Edward was giving me. I pulled his hair hard and he crawled his way back up my body, kissing and nuzzling occasionally.

I yanked his face to mine, kissing him eagerly and wrapping my arms around him. His arms threaded up into my hair, tangling in the silky strands as he moved his mouth with mine. We broke the kiss, both of us panting, and Edward rested his forehead against mine.

"Bella," he breathed and brushed his lips against mine again. Lifting his head, he smiled ruefully at me. "As fucking sexy as you look in this lingerie thingy, it has to go. I don't want there to be anything between us when I'm finally inside you."

I moaned, astounded at how turned on I still was, after coming twice, three times if you included the dance floor earlier this evening. I arched my back and Edward tried to blindly untie the ribbon holding the corset together. After several unsuccessful attempts at undoing the bow, he let out a frustrated snarl and ripped the ribbon at the base of the bow, and swiftly unlaced it up my back.

Once it was fully open he tossed it aside and smiled down at my boobs. "Hello, girls. I missed you," he sighed happily.

I burst out laughing, despite the romantic mood he had created so painstakingly. He smirked up at me, "What's so funny, beautiful girl? I did miss them. Your tits and I happen to have a very special relationship."

I laughed all over again, and he bent his head to nuzzle them. Edward took one hardened peak into his mouth swirling his tongue around the bud and I suddenly found myself porn moaning instead of laughing. My hands held his head again, gentler this time, but still capturing it in place. After a few moments, he shifted over to the other breast, lavishing the same attention to that one.

I started to ache between my thighs again and I found myself pulling at his clothes, wondering how I had ended up completely naked and he still had all of his clothes on. Edward abruptly sat up from me, a small gasp escaping my lips in surprise. He had his shirt off in lightening speed, I blinked and his jeans were in a puddle on the floor along with his shoes and socks. All he was left standing in was a pair of black boxer briefs. And holy fuck, did they ever look good on him. He started to push them down, but I stopped him.

"Can I?" I asked shyly. His eyes were dark and hooded as he stared into mine and nodded softly. Smiling slightly, I shifted up to my knees and reached out, hooking my fingers along the edge of the material. I slid his boxer briefs down his legs, watching as his cock bounced as it was freed. I trailed one hand along his long shaft, wrapping my hand around the base and stroking twice. I leaned over suddenly, sliding the tip of his cock between my lips and sucking on the head.

Edward groaned loudly, his hands automatically coming up to tangle in my hair. I slid my mouth down his length and sucked my way back up, stroking my hand in sync. My tongue swirled and massaged as I sucked him in and out of my mouth. I was totally addicted to the sounds and oh-so-dirty words the fell from his lips every time his cock was in my mouth.

"Fuck," Edward cursed and I somehow ended up on my back on Edward's bed again, with him hovering over me. One hand slid between my drenched folds, two fingers slipping inside me and rubbing that fucktastic spot inside me, causing me to tremble.

"I need to be inside you, love. Tell me it's okay, that I can make love to you, be inside your warm, soft, sweet body." His voice was rough and uneven and I felt the tension in his tight muscles as he waited for me to tell him one last time that I was ready.

I looked into his eyes, the green so dark it was black, our breath warm and mingling together as we both panted softly. "Make love to me, Edward. Please, baby. I want this, _want you_, so, so much." He mouth crashed to mine, and my arms circled his neck, holding him close to me.

I sighed at the feel of his smooth skin sliding against mine, bringing tingles through my body. One of his arms wrapped around me while the other positioned his cock at my entrance. I felt the tiniest pressure at my entrance, and Edward gazed down at me.

"Ready, love?" he whispered and I nodded, parting my legs a little more to give him easier access. He slowly pushed into me, both of us hissing with the feeling. I felt a burning pleasurable pain as my body was stretched to fit his width. It wasn't nearly as bad as I had feared, figuring Edward's thoroughness earlier had prepared me as well as I ever could have been.

When he was about halfway inside me, he paused, assessing me. "Are you okay, love? Am I hurting you? You have to tell me if I hurt you, okay? Immediately."

"I'm okay, Edward. It stings a little, but it's not so bad. Keep going, please. I want to feel all of you."

He moaned and slid forward further, eventually filling me completely. I paused him for a moment, letting my body adjust to having him inside me fully. The burning stretching sensation receded and I shifted my hips, gasping at the little surge of pleasure from that one simple movement.

"Edward," I moaned and he moaned back, his head dropped low resting on my shoulder.

"Bella. My sweet Bella," he whispered and tightened his arms around me. Gently, he began moving within me, both of us groaning out loud. I pressed my head back against the pillows, exposing my throat as Edward rained kisses all over my face and throat and shoulders. He slowly thrust his hips against me, my slick heat allowing him to easily slide in and out of my body.

I began rolling my hips to meet his as we found our rhythm together. He kept our pace languid and steady, agonizingly building the beautiful pleasure inside me. I began to breathe rapidly as each stroke brought me more and more luscious enjoyment. I tossed my head back and forth on the pillow, straining for my release that Edward was steadily stroking me into.

"Oh, Isabella," he moaned in a gravelly voice, "You feel like heaven. Like you were made just for me." He tilted his hips at a slightly different angle, the head of his cock now stroking that spot only he could ever find and I cried out.

"Edward! I'm so close, so very close. Oh, please, baby," I moaned, holding him tighter to me. He began to move with slightly more urgency, making certain he pressed against that spot with every thrust.

"That's it, love. I can feel you tightening around me. I want you to come, baby. I want to give you that pleasure, I'll give you anything you want," he groaned quietly.

After two more deep thrusts, he placed his lips to my ear, "I love you, Bella."

"Edward!" I cried out, coming harder and longer than I ever had before. A rainbow of stars danced in front of my eyes and my whole body shook and I felt my core rippling around his hard cock. "I love you, I love you, Edward, oh God, I love you!" I moaned as he thrust deeply into me once more before following me into ecstasy. He yelled my name and groaned loudly and I felt him pulsing inside me.

He collapsed onto me, kissing my lips softly, as we both lay sweaty and out of breath. He held me as he rolled to his side, still joined together and keeping my body fully pressed to his. He soothingly stroked one hand along my back.

I nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck and sighed happily. I couldn't have dreamed of a more perfect first union in my wildest dreams. "Edward, that was perfect. So incredibly perfect."

He made a contented, little humming noise in agreement, "Perfect," he echoed and kissed the top of my head.

With a sigh, he slipped out of me, still holding me close to him. "I love you, Bella," he murmured, resting his cheek on the crown of my head.

"I love you, too," I said, grinning into his chest and practically glowing with happiness. I closed my eyes, blissfully satisfied in his arms and let myself drift off to sleep.

* * *

Edward woke me in the middle of the night, sucking on the sensitive spot behind my ear and his fingers teasing the folds of my pussy. Instantly, I was wet and throbbing for him. "Edward," I gasped as he slipped two fingers inside me and he answered with a moan of his own.

"So wet, already," he panted, "I need you again, baby." He pressed soft kisses along my jaw and neck. "Can I, love? Are you too sore?"

"Edward, take me, please," I begged, wanting to feel him deep within me again. To know if it would feel as incredible as it had the first time. I found myself flipped onto my back with Edward over me; his hips nestled between my thighs. In one smooth thrust he was buried inside me and we both shuddered with pleasure. I loved the exquisite sensation of his cock stretching and filling me entirely.

He moved with more force than before, still gentle but not fearful of hurting me like before. My breathy moans and cries filled the air, as Edward loved me. His hands caressed over my body, constantly traveling in loving strokes along my skin. He cupped my breasts and rolled my nipples between his thumb and index finger and I moaned loudly at the thrills of pleasure shooting through me.

I felt body begin to tighten as Edward surged faster. He reached down, sliding his hand along the outside of my thigh and hitching my leg up on his hip. "Fuck!" I screamed as he went even deeper inside my aching pussy. I raked my nails down his back, pressing my hands to the hard muscles of his ass and urging him deeper, harder.

I writhed beneath him, thrusting my own hips up to meet his. "Edward, oh, yes, Edward," I chanted.

"Mine," Edward growled possessively and grazed his teeth along the side of my neck.

I shivered, "Oh, fuck yes!" I was so close to coming and I knew it would only be a few more strokes before I tumbled over the edge. He grazed his teeth along my hypersensitive skin again and I moaned.

"Bite harder. Mark me, Edward!" I cried and a feral noise escaped his mouth. He bit my neck, sucking on the skin he caught and I dug my nails into his shoulders, screaming out as I shattered in his arms. I shook and sobbed and drown in the overwhelming sensations racking my body. I was so far gone I didn't even notice when Edward reached his own bliss. I vaguely heard him moan my name loudly, but that was the only small piece of the world that permeated my pleasure filled bubble.

* * *

The sunlight streaming in through the window woke me eventually, although I snuggled deep in Edward's comforter, pressed flush against him. Sighing, I finally opened my eyes, peeking out into the room. Edward lay there, watching my emergence from the cocoon I'd made myself with an extremely amused smirk.

He lifted his hand to delve it into my hair, gently tugging me up to kiss me good morning. "Good morning, my love." His voice was still rough with sleep.

I smiled up at him, ridiculously happy, "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

He smiled his crooked smile at me, and my heart fluttered. "Never better. How are you doing this morning? Not too sore? I think I was a little rougher with you than I should have been."

I stretched slightly, feeling a twinge between my legs, but nothing that would truly bother me. "I'm fine, Edward. Better than fine, actually. I'm great." I curled up against his chest, resting my head over his heart. I listened to the steady beating and closed my eyes, breathing peacefully. Edward played with my hair as I lay there, completely content.

"Edward?" I said softly, idly tracing patterns on his chest.

"Mmm," he hummed in answer.

"Was last night…was it good? For you? I mean, it was absolutely amazing for me. Mind blowing, actually. Its just I have nothing to compare to and I didn't know if things on your side weren't quite as good. Since I didn't really know what I was doing, you know? I mean, it was my first time, and I can definitely work on things if you tell me what you liked and didn't like. And-"

"Bella!" Edward laughed, cutting off my nervous babbling. "Last night was better than I ever could have imagined. Best night of my life. It was perfect. If you were any better of a lover, it might actually kill me. I've never come so hard or so long, ever."

He tilted my head up and kissed me. "Trust me, love, you've ruined me for all other women. I don't think I will ever want another woman again."

I blushed and tucked my head into the nook of his neck, a small smile playing on my lips. "Tell me something no one else knows about you."

He was quiet for a moment, then softly spoke. "Hmm, let's see I love you. But you already knew that. I think you are fantastic in bed, but I just told you that." He let out a soft sigh. "I'm not going to play professional football."

"What?" I exclaimed, jerking up into a sitting position to look at him with wide eyes. "But you love playing football! And you're the best college player in the country!"

He looked steadily at me. "I do love playing football, that's true. I don't know about the best college player in the country, but I am good, I'll give you that. But it's not what I want to do with my life. It's not what I picture. I've never seen myself as a pro sports player. I play because it's fun, and when it becomes your job…it's not as fun anymore."

I looked at him, processing what he'd just told me. "What do you want to do then?"

He smiled at me, "I want to go to medical school. Become a doctor. I used to love going to the hospital to visit my dad and always thought it would be a great job."

"Oh. Is that why you're a biology major? To make sure you get all the pre-reqs for medical school?"

Edward nodded, "It's a good foundation for what I'll need to get in."

"I think you'd make a wonderful doctor," I smiled at him and he grinned back at me.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Edward, you're brilliant and whatever you put your mind to you're going to excel at."

He leaned over and kissed me again, sighing against my lips. "You aren't disappointed that I'm not going to play pro ball? Really?"

I shook my head, "Of course not. I want you to be happy, whatever that takes."

"You have no idea how much that means to me, Bella. To know that you support me."

"Always, Edward." I reached out and grasped his hand in mind, squeezing gently.

He smirked at me, "Now you tell me something no one else knows about you."

My smile faded from my face and I looked down, steeling myself for a moment. I looked back up at him, concern etched on his beautiful face. I took a deep breath and said, "I'm afraid of having children. I'm afraid I'll become my mom and leave one day out of the blue, ruining their lives."

Edward sat up swiftly, pulling me into his lap and cradling the back of my head with one hand. "Bella, you would never do that. Not to your own children. You are so fiercely loyal; I've seen it so many times with your friends and with me. I know you would never, ever hurt someone you love like that. Ever."

Tears filled my eyes, "But what if I don't love my children like that? I mean, why else would my mother leave me like that? What if I can't love them the way I need to?"

"Shhh, it's okay, baby," Edward soothed me softly, gently brushing away the tears on my cheeks. "I wish I knew what your mother had been thinking when she left. How she could possibly leave someone as perfect as you behind, I'll never understand. But I do know that you don't have one ounce of that in you. You love completely and totally. There is nothing of her in you. You will be an amazing mother, Bella."

"You think so?"

"I know so. Besides, I'll be right next to you, helping you and loving you however you need it."

My eyes grew wide; "You want to have kids with me?"

He laughed, "Silly Bella, it would be a crime against humanity not to! It's only fair to try to give them a fighting chance against your clumsy genes. It would take the exceptional grace and balance I possess to counter balance the extremity of your clumsiness."

"Shut up, Edward," I grumbled and pushed at him playfully. He just laughed and pulled me back down to cuddle again.

* * *

**Okay, what did you think? Let me know, the good, the bad, and the what the fuck was that?**

**Tons and tons of undying love for my awesome and amazing beta, A Letter To No One. She is fabulous and even in the midst of moving took the time to look over my chapter and make it shiny and pretty. You should all go check out her story, One Street Over, in appreciation. :) **

**To twilighterlaura, I'm a total idiot and didn't answer your question correctly in my reply and then wasn't able to PM you. Bella was mad at her TA because he was mocking sorority girls. They are stereotyped to be ditsy, vapid gold-digging whores who have pillow fights in their underwear at their houses. Obviously, my Bella does not fit that, the same for most sorority girls. Hope that answers your question correctly this time! :)**

**As always, reviews get teasers! Happy New Year!  
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	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry for the late posting, I really did try to post earlier today, but real life's a bitch and she refused to let me. Unfortunately, my beta's life is crazy and upside down for the time being, so this chapter is not beta'ed yet. I'll update the chapter once she does make it pretty and shiny and sends it back to me. Sorry for the mistakes, I tried to catch as many as I could, but I'm sure there are still a few here and there.**

**Quick note from last chapter, I had several readers concerned the B&E are not being safe. Let me just clear this up, B is on the pill and they use condoms. B will not be getting knocked up. It was just awkward and kind of ruined the romance I was trying to build. So, for all future sexy times - assume condoms are used and B is religious about taking her pill. **

**I don't own Twilight or any university mentioned or anything brand name in here. I mean no harm.  
**

**THANK YOU to everyone reading/reviewing/alerting this story, the response has been overwhelming! We broke over 200 reviews with the last chapter and that is waaaaaay more than I ever thought I'd receive. i can't say how much I love every one of you! If anyone is rec'ing my story, please tell me so I can thank them!  


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I skipped every class of mine on Friday, only leaving Edward's bed for necessities like the bathroom and for food. Edward, unfortunately, had to leave for his usual team meeting the day before a game. He did make me promise I would be here, in his bed, when he returned. I didn't neglect my studies the entire day, occasionally reading or outlining papers for my classes, but I did spend most of the day kissing and cuddling with Edward. I'd wanted to make love again, but he resisted, not wanting to make me even sorer than I already was. That didn't stop him from going down on me just before he left, leaving me a shivering, panting mess and anxiously awaiting his return.

I left my phone off from the night before, completely content to ignore the outside world and living happily in my Edward-orgasm-induced-love-filled bubble. I forced myself to focus on reading for class while he was gone and about two hours later; a sweaty, smiling Edward sauntered back into his bedroom. He growled happily when he saw me, still naked and lying across his bed on my stomach, reading. My hair was up in a messy ponytail and my glasses were the only thing I wore.

"Jesus, you look so fucking hot," he groaned when I looked over my shoulder and smiled at him. His eyes traveled over my exposed back and ass, following my legs to where my knees bent and my ankles crossed as I held them in the air. I turned back to my book, laughing softly. Suddenly, I had a very naked and very turned on Edward crawling up me, sucking and nipping as the skin along the back of my neck and shoulders.

I shuddered and moaned, trying to turn over in his arms, but he held me in place. "No, baby, I want you just like this," he whispered in a deep, rough voice. I let out a breathy noise and parted my legs as his hand traveled between them. His fingers rubbed against me and he inhaled sharply at my dripping wetness. I pressed my hips back against his hand, desperately wanting more.

Edward's fingers slipped inside me and I cried out and threw my head back. His arm slid around me, shifting us both up onto our knees. Edward sat back so he was sitting on his feet and settled my legs on either side of him and my back pressed to his chest. I pressed my pussy down harder onto his fingers, my own fingers seeking out the hardness I felt against my thigh and stroking softly.

"Please, Edward," I begged as he rocked his fingers into me, sweet tension coiling low in my belly. His lips grazed the dark purple bite mark on my neck from the night before and I sighed, rolling my head onto his shoulder to give him better access.

"My Isabella," he breathed against my skin and lifted me up, pulling his fingers out and shifting his cock to meet my entrance. Slowly, so slowly I let out a frustrated little whimper, he lowered me onto him until I was fully seated on him. I sighed again, loving the feeling of him filling me so deeply, and tried to lift my hips.

"Uh-uh, baby. Just let me love you," he said in a gravelly voice, holding me to him. A tiny groan escaped me but I relaxed against him. One of his arms wrapped around my waist and up across my chest, and the other reached down to grasp my hips. Very gently, he began rocking his hips into me, sending delicious tendrils of pleasure rippling through my body.

I moaned and rolled my head to face him. Pressing my forehead into his neck, I started whimpering his name, over and over, like a prayer. I lifted one arm up and slid my hand in his hair. My other hand came up to grasp the arm draped across my chest. He turned his head to mine and found my lips, kissing me deeply. Our tongues danced together as he steadily rocked into me, his hand finding one breast and teasing my nipple with his nimble fingers. I panted and groaned against his mouth, feeling the building tidal wave deep inside.

Edward drifted the hand at my hip up my body to find my hand on his other arm and intertwined our fingers and brought them back down to where our bodies joined. He stroked the tips of our fingers where we were joined as he rocked in and out of me, my wetness coating them before he drew them back up to rest at my clit. He moved our fingers in small circles, pressing against the sensitive little bundle of nerves.

"Oh, fuck, fuck, _fuck_," I moaned, pulling back from our kiss and gasping small, shallow breaths.

"Bella," he said in a choked groan and I felt my body tensing with my imminent orgasm. "That's it, love. Come for me. Come for me in those sexy as fuck glasses." Edward rubbed our fingers harder and rocked more insistently into my pussy. I shouted his name as I was overcome with pleasure rushing through me. Edward followed shortly after, my own release triggering his.

I slumped against him, feeling boneless. He held me tight, both of his arms coming up around me. He rested his forehead on my shoulder, breathing hard.

"I love you, beautiful girl. So, so much," he murmured and I smiled, sighing happily.

"Love you, too," I whispered and let him shift me so he could carry me into the shower. He washed my hair and body before I returned the favor. I loved that his soap was all over me and I would smell like him until I showered with my own soap again.

He made me dinner and refused to let me go home that night.

"I don't care about Coach's stupid rules. Everything is better with you here. I'm more relaxed, I sleep better, I'm in a better mood," he argued when I tried to head home.

"Edward, I don't want to fuck with your playing. You don't know how you'll play when you're stuck here with me hogging your bed all night," I countered.

"You have nothing to do with my ability to throw a football. You are _not_ a fucking football curse, Bella! Hell, I play better at practice after you've slept over so I know I'll play better tomorrow," he adamantly declared. Then he picked me up, tossing me over his shoulder and stalked into his bedroom, dumping me unceremoniously on his bed.

"Stay!" he commanded and I lifted one eyebrow at him. "Please?" he asked meekly, his face suddenly like a little boy who wants something, but knows he forgot to ask politely.

I giggled and held out my hand to him, "Fine, but only if you stay here with me." He flashed me my favorite crooked grin and flopped down onto the bed next to me.

He pulled me close, snuggling up to me like I was his own personal teddy bear and that was how we eventually fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Edward woke me briefly at some ungodly hour. The game started early, around ten in the morning, and he had to be at the field three hours early.

"Love, Jasper is going to pick me up, okay?" he told me as I burrowed deeper into his comforter.

"Mspnlbgh," was the best reply I could come up with.

He chuckled and kissed my forehead, "Take my car to the game, park in the reserved lot behind the stadium. They know my car, so you won't get stopped. Love you, baby."

He started to straighten, but I reached out and grabbed his shirt. I poked my head out of the blankets and kissed him softly. "Love you, too. Don't make me regret sleeping over or I'll cut your left nut off," I mumbled sleepily and forced my eyes to open for a moment. I sighed, taking in how sexy he looked with his hair wild and slight stubble on his chin. "So fucking hot," I murmured and was rewarded with one of his sexy smirks.

"Go back to sleep, love," he told me, still laughing quietly.

* * *

The next time I woke it was 9:15. "Oh, shit!" I exclaimed and hurtled out of bed. I threw on stolen clothes from Edward and raced down to his car. After a quick stop at my sorority house to take the fastest shower I've ever taken and change into appropriate clothes for the game. I threw together a bag of clothes and other toiletry items to last me the rest of the weekend and raced back downstairs and into Edward's car.

I drove as fast as I possibly could, but once I hit the blocks around the stadium, it was slow going. Throngs of people crowded the streets as they made their way to the stadium, and it was nearly impossible to move faster than a few feet at a time. I finally turned into the reserved parking lot, being waved in by the guard outside. I found a spot easily and glanced at the clock telling me I was five minutes late.

I cursed under my breath and ran for the entrance, slightly confused as to where I was having never entered from this side before. Once I found my bearings, I hurried to my section. I was sitting with the other girlfriends again, but this time I knew Rosalie would be there, too. I could hear the announcers vaguely, but the words were garbled since I was still in the halls outside the actual seats.

As I rounded the corner to come up the steps that would lead me into my section, I heard a burst of cheering. I tripped and almost face planted into the stairs, but managed to grab the handrail at the very last second, saving myself from an embarrassing fall and likely trip to the emergency room.

I forced myself to stop for a moment, and get it together. No way did I want to trip and fall in front of the other catty girlfriends and just give them more fuel for the fire. I took a deep breath and as calmly as I could walk the rest of the way up the stairs and over to where my seat was located. I glanced at the field and noticed the kick-off teams getting into position. I smiled, pleased I could actually identify what was happening on the field and that I hadn't missed kick-off.

I found Rose sitting next to my seat and checking her phone when I walked up next to her. "Hey," I said breathlessly. "Did I miss anything big?"

"Bella! It's about fucking time! Where the hell have you been? You've been MIA for two days," she hissed at me, anger and relief written all over her face.

I simply smiled and blushed, remembering what I'd been up to. "Just busy," I said giving her a look that said 'I'll tell you more later.' I looked over at the field, seeking out Edward with my eyes and finding him in the mass of hulking guys gathered around watching the field. He glanced my way briefly and flashed me his beautiful crooked smile. I could see some of the tension leave his body and realized he must have noticed I was late arriving.

Rose grabbed my arm, catching my attention again. "So did you two finally seal the deal?" she asked in a low voice.

I flushed again and ducked my head, nodding and grinning. "On Thursday, after Crush," I whispered and she nodded. She threw her arm around my shoulders and squeezed.

"Good for you! And him," she smiled and I laughed. "And…?"

"And…the boy is a bona fide sex god. I came the first time!" I couldn't stop the cat that ate the canary grin spreading across my face. "It was perfect. Really, truly perfect."

Rose smacked me on the back of the head. "Hot damn, you got off the first time? That's like finding the Holy Grail. Is that where you've been for the past two days?" She continued her interrogation nonchalantly, still watching the game and acting natural.

I answered, still grinning like an idiot, "Yes, I've been at his place. Didn't even bother going to class yesterday."

Rose shook her head, smiling slyly at me. "You'd better pray that boy doesn't fuck up today, girlie."

I let out a shaky breath, "Don't I know it."

Irina looked over at Rose and I, smiling superiorly. "Rose, why don't you come and join us over here? The view is so much better," she remarked and looked me over haughtily. "Not to mention the company," she mumbled, not quite softly enough for me to miss it.

Rose gave Irina's group her own assessing once over and then smirked coldly. "I wouldn't sit with you bitches even if it meant losing every single game. I prefer friends who are genuine and not gold-digging whores. And it's Rosalie to you." She pressed her lips together like she was giving them an air kiss and flipped her long blonde hair over one shoulder, turning back to the game and smiling at me.

I heard Irina and her followers scoffing and stammering, obviously stunned at having been dressed down like that. I laughed; not caring about the dagger looks sent flying my way. I leaned against Rose and said, "Thanks, Big."

She smiled and bumped my shoulder with hers, "Anytime, Little. Now pay attention and learn something."

* * *

Our defense easily managed to stop the Baylor University offense and Edward took the field with the rest of our offense. I watched him assess and run and throw, moving the ball down the field with ease. It wasn't long before we had scored the first touchdown of the game and I cheered loudly, loving the grin on Edward's face. We scored twice more during the first quarter with Edward running the ball in once.

I constantly watched Edward, regardless of what was happening on the field, loving how he moved with such grace and confidence. By the end of the first half, we were up 35-10. Edward jogged up to the rail and beckoned me with his hand. I walked the two rows down to where he stood and leaned over slightly. My hair fell down around my face, hiding me from the view of others.

"Sleep late, love?" he grinned at me and I bit my lip, nodding.

"Sorry, Edward. Maybe next time someone won't keep me up half the night," I teased, making sure I kept my voice only loud enough for him to hear me.

He laughed and reached up to cup my cheek with his hand. He leaned in, tugging my face down slightly, and pressed his lips to mine for a moment. Wild cheering erupted from the stadium and I pulled my face back, looking at him with wide eyes and blushing hard. He just gave me one of his dazzling smiles and rubbed his thumb along my cheek. "Gotta go. I love you."

Despite my best efforts, I beamed back at him, "I love you, too." I leaned back from the railing and the cheering started again as he ran off to the locker rooms. I kept my face down and hair forward as I made my way back to my seat, sinking down low to avoid notice.

Edward scored again early in the third quarter, and I was finally feeling relaxed and able to breathe again. I decided to trust that I hadn't screwed everything up by staying the night with Edward last night.

He was back out on the field and the ball just snapped when it happened. Edward took a few steps back to analyze the field when a weird movement caught my eye. I glanced over to see James, who was supposed to be helping protect Edward, move in what looked like a fake fall and allowing one of the Baylor defensive men to take out Edward completely.

The ball flew out of Edward's hands as the guy slammed into Edward, loud enough to be heard and hard enough to knock Edward's helmet off. Their bodies crashed to the ground and I jumped to my feet, screaming his name. I ran over to the railing, focusing on Edward laying there, not moving. The rest of the play played out on the field, before everything halted as it was finally noticed he wasn't moving.

I saw coaches and trainers run out on the field, circling around him. I stood there, gripping the railing tightly, my chest constricting tightly and making it hard to breathe.

"Get up, get up. Come on, baby, get up!" I whispered to myself, distraught. Edward had been hit before, several times actually, but never anything close to this. He was usually so well protected that when someone did manage to hit him, it wasn't all that hard. I still cringed every time, but he had always walked it off before. Of course, now that I thought about it, the first string right guard was out hurt from the first quarter and James was the second string stand in.

Rage suddenly filled me; he had fallen on purpose. That much was obvious. Now all I needed was to find him in a dark alley and beat the shit out of him. Maybe worse, if Edward was seriously hurt.

Edward still hadn't moved, I couldn't see any signs of life from where I stood. I watched in horror as a stretcher was brought out onto the field. I started breathing rapidly, ignoring the tears streaming down my face when they lifted him onto it. Slowly, they began carrying him off the field. The crowd was eerily quiet and my gasping breaths seemed too loud in my ears.

I looked around frantically, spotting Emmett. "Emmett!" I called out. He locked eyes with me for a moment, his always-laughing face now deadly serious. Just as I was about to turn and race over to the locker rooms from my section, Emmett nodded to me once. He swiftly walked to where I stood and held his arms out to me.

"Thank you," I sobbed quietly and he helped me climb over the railing. As soon as he set me down, I took off for the entrance to the locker room, my heart pounding in fear.

I raced inside, yelling for anyone, to find out where he was. I finally found an assistant coach who obviously recognized me and immediately chastised me for being in there.

"Look, I don't care if I'm not supposed to be in here! I just need to find Edward, I have to know if he's okay!" I yelled back at him, taking him by surprise.

"You need to go back to your seat," he said in a no nonsense voice.

"No," I growled at him. "Tell me where he is."

He sighed, conceding defeat and pointed me in the direction of the ambulance loading dock. I let out a strangled cry and ran for it. I reached the doors, bursting out of them just as they were loading him into the ambulance.

"Edward!" I cried and lunged toward the ambulance. One of the trainers tried to hold me back, and I kicked and pushed against him. "Please, let me go with him!"

The paramedics looked startled to see some girl fighting and yelling to get into an ambulance, but shrugged at the trainer and other coaches. "One person can come with us. Who are you?"

"She's his girlfriend. She's the reason he's playing so well this season. Let her go," a redheaded guy I didn't recognize told them.

With a sigh, I was released and I called out a grateful thank you to the guy as I climbed into the back, sliding onto the bench next to Edward. He looked like he was sleeping, eyes closed and breathing even. I grasped his hand in both of mine, looking up at the paramedic across from me. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's unconscious now, likely has a moderate concussion. He should wake up soon. His vitals are good; he's stable. We assessed his neck and spine and that all seems fine. Now we just wait for him to wake up," he told me matter of factly.

"Oh," I whispered, looking back down at Edward. Tears filled my eyes again and I swallowed hard, fighting not to let them lose. I reached out with one hand and brushed his hair back from his forehead.

"How long until we reach the hospital?" I asked in a trembling voice.

"About ten minutes. He'll be okay, really," the guy answered, giving me a small smile and trying to ease my obvious distress.

I nodded, keeping my eyes on Edward and looking for any signs that he might wake up soon. I leaned over and kissed his cheek, then brought my lips to his ear. "Wake up, baby. Please, please, open your eyes."

"You should sit back, it can be disorienting when he first wakes up and you could get hurt unintentionally."

I sighed and nodded, sitting back away from him, but kept his hand in mine. I watched for any kind of movement from him, the minutes ticking painfully by.

Finally, his eyelids fluttered and the hand I was holding flexed slightly. I gasped, holding it tighter. "Edward? Edward, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes, sweetheart?"

He made a faint noise and shifted his head slightly. The medic sitting on his other side began checking his blood pressure again and glanced at the heart monitor. The pulse seemed steady, but I didn't really know what it should be.

Edward began to move more earnestly, groaning softly. He forced his eyes open for a moment before furrowing his eyebrows at me and closing them again.

His hand gripped mine slightly and I smiled through my fresh tears. "Edward? Can you open your eyes? Does anything hurt?"

"Bella?" he slurred and groaned again.

"I'm here. What's wrong, sweetheart? Where does it hurt?" I forced myself to try to stay as calm as possible.

He grimaced, "My head...and my hand."

"Your hand?" I looked at his free hand, confused. He tugged a little at the one I was holding. "Oh!" I exclaimed and dropped it, realizing I was squeezing the hell out of it. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." I clasped my hands to my chest.

Edward let out a whining noise, his hand searching for mine. "S'okay, love. Just not...so tight."

"Hey, Edward," the medic spoke, "I need you to open your eyes for me."

He grunted in protest. "Too bright. My head hurts."

"Yeah, I'd imagine. Getting hit the way you did; you're going to have one hell of a headache. But I really do need you to open your eyes."

"Uh-uh," he stubbornly refused.

Suppressing a sigh, I leaned closer, "Edward, I'll hold your hand again, but only if you let me see those beautiful green eyes of yours. Please, baby?"

"Evil vixen...can't ever say no," he muttered and sighed heavily, opening his eyes and wincing. He waved his hand a little and whined again. I laughed at him and took his hand in mine.

I smiled down at him, "Hi."

He gave me a sort of smile back, "Hi."

The medic stuck his rather amused face between us, "Hey Edward. I need you to follow my finger for a minute."

Edward growled at him. "Hey," I reprimanded, "Be nice. No growling."

Edward sighed and focused on the medic's finger. The medic moved his finger from side to side, diagonally, up and down, and then close to his nose and out again. Then he asked how many fingers he was holding up, changing the number of fingers a couple times. Finally, He flashed a penlight into Edward's eyes, eliciting another growl, and checked his pupil dilation just as we were pulling up to the hospital.

"Looks excellent. I'm sure they'll give you a CT and maybe monitor you for a few hours, but so far everything seems fine," the paramedic told both of us.

I grinned at Edward who smiled back weakly. The doors opened and a mass of doctors and nurses stood waiting. It seemed everyone wanted the chance to treat the great Edward Cullen. There were a few surprised looks at me sitting next to him, holding his hand, but then everyone snapped to attention and a flurry of activity began.

Edward's hand was pulled from mine as the stretcher was unloaded and he was hustled into the emergency room. I heard him call out for me once, but then he was gone and I was left standing outside the doors. I asked a nurse for directions to the waiting room and began my vigil of waiting.

* * *

About an hour later, a doctor walked into the room, sweeping his eyes across the room, "Miss Swan?"

I stood up quickly and walked over to him. "That's me."

"I'm Dr. Gerandy, Mr. Cullen is asking for you. He's just getting settled in his room," he told me and turned to start walking. I joined in next to him, anxious to get back to Edward.

"What happened? Did the tests show anything?"

"I'm not really at liberty to discuss that with you, unfortunately. I can only discuss his prognosis with family." He shot me a small smile.

"Oh," I said, at a loss, "Can you at least tell me if he'll be okay?"

We reached a door and he paused. "He'll be fine," he said, patting my arm.

"Thank you," I smiled.

I knocked softly on the door, hearing Edward bark, "What?"

I opened the door and poked my head in. "Hi," I said timidly and was rewarded with a huge grin.

"Bella! It's about time they brought you back here." He reached out his hand to me and I walked over to the side of the bed. I looked at him, reclining on the bed in a blue hospital gown. He looked fine, but just seeing him there and remembering how hard he was hit, brought tears to my eyes.

I fought to keep them at bay, plastering a watery smile on my face. "How are you, sweetheart?" I lifted my hand to softly run my fingers through his hair.

He leaned over, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer. "My head hurts, baby," he said in a heartbreaking little boy voice and laying his cheek on my chest.

"I'm so sorry, Edward," I whispered, bringing my own arms up to cradle him against me.

He nuzzled his face into my breasts and sighed. "This makes it better."

I giggled, shaking my head and pressed a kiss on the top of his head. "What did the doctors say? They couldn't tell me anything."

He sighed again, "Moderate concussion, CT was clear, but they want to keep me for observation just in case."

I felt the tension in my body dissipate some, but not completely. "You scared the hell out of me. God, it was terrible watching you lie on that field and then carried off on a stretcher."

"I know," he said quietly. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. This is my first concussion. Not that I haven't been hit pretty damn hard before."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Stay with me."

I smiled into his hair, "I'll stay as long as they'll let me."

The door flew open with a commotion of boys flooding in. I looked up at the group of guys from the team who were stunned to find us wrapped around each other.

"Aww, look at Cullen! Hot nurse, man!" Felix joked and the guys all laughed.

Edward just smirked at him, "Damn right. She's all mine, too."

Slight shifting at the back of the group caught my eye and I focused on James. I saw red, going into furious mama bear mode. "You! You son of a bitch! This is your fault!" I yelled and lunged at him, Jasper easily picking me up and towing me back away from him.

"Easy there, B!" Emmett soothed. "You can't blame James, it's football. This kind of thing just happens. It sucks, but it happens."

I was still cursing and growling at James as Jasper hauled me further back toward the bed. "But this _was_ his fault! He faked falling. He moved on purpose to let Edward get hit!"

"I did not. The hell do you know about football anyway? Nothing, that's what," James snapped at me, glaring.

"I know what I saw, and I saw you badly faking a fall and letting the other guy take out Edward," I shot back, refusing to back down. "It's on video, you moron! If you think you're going to get away with this you are sadly mistaken."

"That's a pretty serious accusation, Bella," Demetri said quietly.

"It is," a Texas drawl sounded from the doorway. "Sadly, this time it's true." The head coach stepped into the doorway, looking gravely at James. James opened his mouth to protest, but the coach cut him off. "Save it, James. I've seen the tapes. The offensive coordinator sitting in the press box caught it on playback. That fall was intentional. Edward could have been paralyzed or even killed. You're off the team."

"What?" James yelled, "That's bullshit. I tripped!"

The coach shot him a hard, piercing look. "You are off the team. You'll be lucky if the academic review board allows you to stay as a student. Your hearing is already being scheduled. Now I suggest you head back to campus and clean out your locker at the field."

James snarled at me, but was immediately met with a wall of guys, all of them ready to protect me. Every last one of them gave James looks of death as he stalked out, cursing under his breath.

"I can't believe that," Edward quietly spoke. "I mean, I knew he didn't like me, but I never thought he'd actually stoop so low."

I went to Edward's side again, taking his hand in mine. "I'm so sorry you were hurt for no reason."

"Well, you won't have to worry about it happening again, or worry about James for that matter," his coach said. "He'll be expelled from the University soon enough, I can guarantee that."

The rest of the afternoon passed with the guys telling Edward about the rest of the game, we still won thanks to the large number of points scored before Edward was hurt. The team scored once more after the incident and we'd won 42-13.

He also talked to his parents for about an hour, begging them not to get on a plane to check on him. It was only after speaking to his doctors, and very briefly to me, his mom decided she didn't need to see him in person to know he was okay.

Visiting hours ended, and Edward threw a fit of epic proportions until the nurse relented to let me stay. I tried to sleep in the chair next to the bed, but Edward pouted his way into getting me to climb in next to him. Despite the tiny bed, we fell asleep curled up like spoons, just like always.

* * *

**So there's chapter 10 and hopefully eleven will be posted earlier next week. No promises, but I'll try my hardest. :o) **

**As a side note and a one time offer, just in case my beta is still in the tornado called her life right now, I would really love someone to pre-read chapter 11 to make sure this one section I wrote makes sense and isn't super confusing. In my mind it works, but it's my mind so that doesn't really mean anything. If anyone is interested, please PM me and we'll talk. **

**I do have to make sure you all know how much I love and am completely indebted to my beta, A Letter To No One, because she is awesome and amazing and this story wouldn't exist without her encouragement. You should all show her your appreciation by checking out her story, One Street Over, I love it!**

**As always, reviews get teasers from the next chapter!  
**


	11. Chapter 11

**I don't own Twilight or any university mentioned or anything brand name in here. I mean no harm.**

**I keep making myself a liar. I apologize to linz832 for telling her I would post by this morning. And it's just after twelve noon here. I really must stop telling people what time I plan on posting. I'm never right.**

**I have to give a giant, massive THANK YOU to darlingsaila, who graciously beta'ed this chapter for me! I'm greatly indebted to her help, and may, with her agreement, keep her on as another beta. She is fantastic and fun, and I'm so happy to have gotten to know her. Even if she is a comma nazi. "Let's go eat grandpa!" :o) I did slightly tweak this chapter after getting it back from her, so any mistakes are mine!  
**

**This in no way, shape, or form means there is anything amiss with my beta, A Letter To No One, I hardcore love her and will never let her go. **

**Thank you to everyone who volunteered to pre-read for this chapter, I hated telling you all I had found someone else!  
**

**THANK YOU to everyone reading/reviewing/alerting this story! I now have 300 reviews with the last chapter, and that is mind-blowing! I can't say how much I love every one of you! If anyone is reccing my story, please tell me so I can thank them! I've heard there are a couple Livejournal sites, I don't know who you are specifically, but thank you!  
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* * *

The following Monday, Edward and I met for lunch. I was still in line, waiting for my food while Edward searched for a table. It was still beautiful out, so outside tables were at a premium. Once I finally had my food, I headed out the doors to find him. His bright shock of bronze hair made him easy to spot and I walked toward the table, smiling. There was some guy sitting with his back to me and chatting with Edward as I approached.

Edward saw me and smiled before replying to the guy. I came up and turned to see who was sitting with Edward. My smile fell and I had to force myself not to openly scowl.

The guy noticed my presence and looked at Edward, giving him a placating smile. "I'm sorry, this will just be a moment." He turned back to me, raising his eyebrows. "Miss Swan," my stupid, fucking Rhetoric TA condescendingly said. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah," I said, setting my bag down and crossing my arms over my chest. "You can get out of my seat."

Edward looked back and forth between us with his brow furrowed, and confusion written all over his face.

"Excuse me?" my TA asked incredulously.

"You heard me. Get out of my seat," I snapped. I breathed through my nose, trying to control my temper, but finding it impossible. "I'm having lunch with my boyfriend and you are in my seat," I ground out between my teeth.

"Your…your boyfriend?" he sputtered, caught off guard.

"Yes, my boyfriend. Imagine that, the sorority girl is dating a football player. How very fitting," I sneered.

"Bella," Edward softly warned.

"Oh, I'm sorry, " I fake giggled, doing my best vapid airhead impression. "Have you two not met? George, this is Edward. He's my boyfriend_ and_ quarterback on the football team!" I fake giggled again and flipped my hair over my shoulder. Edward just stared at me like I'd sprouted two heads. I dropped my act and became angry all over again. "Edward, this is George. He's my Rhetoric of War TA."

Edward's face immediately turned callous and cold, his piercing green eyes stared George down. "Nice to meet you," he said in a hard voice. "But if you'll excuse us, I'd like to have lunch with my girlfriend. I think we're done here."

George just stared stunned at both of us, opening and closing his mouth like a fish. "Uh…um, I-I…nice meeting you," he mumbled and practically ran off.

I threw myself into the now empty chair and began angrily pulling my food from the bag. Edward's hand came out to cover mine, stilling them for a moment.

"Bella, love, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Edward. I just really don't like him. He's such an asshole. What was he doing here anyway? Please don't tell me you two are friends or something?" I looked at him with a horrified expression.

"No! No, he just struck up a conversation, it happens a lot," he shrugged. "I didn't know who he was, and he seemed like a nice enough guy. Sorry, love."

"Don't apologize, you didn't know. It's not like you can't be friends with him if you want…just don't expect me to be friends with him." I smiled at him, laughing at how I'd run off my TA. I was sure I'd pay for it in class sessions, but I knew my work would guarantee me an A for my grade. Anything less and he'd have a shit storm of trouble on his hands.

* * *

I couldn't have been more wrong about my TA's reaction to how I'd treated him. Instead of being a total asshole, he was a total kiss-ass. I would be surprised if I didn't leave class with a hickey on my butt. He pandered to me and asked my opinion on everything, always telling me how insightful I was and what excellent answers I gave. Eventually he asked me another inane question and I snapped.

"I really don't know or care about Reagan being the first person to use the term 'laser' publicly in relation to war. The man also said ketchup counted as a vegetable in schools," I said, rolling my eyes. Let him tell me how insightful that load of crap was.

"Well, that's okay. You've answered a lot of questions today, so no big deal," he smiled. The looks of my classmates' faces were incredulous.

"Oh, for the love all the bunnies and kittens, stop kissing my ass just because of who my boyfriend is! It's not like it you're going to benefit from it," I huffed.

"Who's your boyfriend?" a girl asked.

"Edward Cullen," another boy answered, smirking. A low rumbling swept through the class.

I whipped my head toward him. "How did you know that?"

"Your face was all over the jumbotron at the game on Saturday. He did kiss you in front of everyone," he snorted.

"I'm going to kick his ass," I grumbled.

"Nice hickey, by the way." He nodded toward my neck.

I blushed furiously, and my hand came up to clamp over the mark. I looked at him for a moment, then laughed. "Thanks, I enjoyed getting it." This caused the low murmur to turn into full on outbursts along with laughter.

My TA tried to call the class back to order, but by then it was too late. The class was dismissed early and I gave George a look, hoping he'd understand not to pull this crap next time.

I walked out and found Edward standing against the wall, waiting for me. As always, his smile was dazzling. It actually took me a moment to even realize Emmett was standing right next to him. The smile Emmett gave me didn't affect me as much, but I still enjoyed the dimples.

I turned back to Edward, glaring. "You are in so much trouble."

"What did I do?" he asked, surprised, and Emmett's smile grew.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Thanks to your little kiss at the game on Saturday, my face was all over the jumbotron. I am no longer anonymous."

"Love, that has nothing to do with me and everything to do with how beautiful you are, " he told me sweetly.

"Don't think you can sweet talk your way out of this one," I said and smacked at him.

"Hey, hey! Easy on the injured athlete," he whined. I saw concerned looks on the faces of my classmates who were blatantly eavesdropping.

"Don't say shit like that! People will actually believe you; you and I both know you are just fine," I warned.

He grinned lasciviously at me. "Sure do, baby," he said with a wink. I felt heat rise to my cheeks as images of last night filtered through my head. Edward had definitely proven no ill effects from his concussion. I fought back a shiver and diverted the attention I was suddenly receiving from the onlookers.

"Emmett, what's up?"

"Nada, B. Just making sure we're still on for practice tonight?" he answered.

I sighed, "Yes, I'll be there. Like the other girls would let me out of it."

"Wait, what?" Edward piped up. "You are not taking _my_ time with _my_ girl away from me," he told Emmett.

Emmett smirked, "Too bad, Cullen. B is aaaalllllll mine tonight."

Edward growled and I leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Just for a couple of hours for Greek Week stuff. I'll come over after."

"Better be just for Greek Week shit," he muttered, still glaring at Emmett and throwing his arm around me possessively.

* * *

The one Greek Week event I was participating in was the Powder Puff Game. Emmett insisted. He tried to wrangle Alice and Rose, too, but Alice flat out refused and Rose was gung-ho about it until she found out it was flag football and not contact football. After that, she couldn't be bothered.

For most Greek Week events, it was each sorority and fraternity team against all the others, so I had to have Emmett explain to me how this would work.

"Okay, if each sorority had to play each other, it would have meant some kind of tournament with tons of games, to finally have a winner for Powder Puff. So, all the teams were put in one of two groups; eight sorority/fraternity teams to each side, with a few members from each one participating. Five points are given to all of the sororities/fraternities on the winning team, and an additional point is given to the team whose player wins the Most Valuable Player award. Get it?"

I nodded, "I think so. But if the girls are the ones playing football, what are the guys doing?"

Emmett grinned, "We're the cheerleaders."

I burst into giggles; I couldn't wait to see Emmett in a skirt waving pom-poms.

* * *

After a few hours of sweaty and tiring practice, I was gathering my things, when Emmett approached me. "Hey, B, can we talk for a minute?"

I looked up at the somber tone of his voice and saw the seriousness on his face. "Sure, is something wrong?"

He thought for a moment, "Well, I don't know. I was hoping you could help me with that. Have you noticed Edward acting different lately?"

My eyebrows pulled together in confusion. "Not really. Different how? What have you noticed?"

"He's…lost interest, I guess, in football. I'm not sure that's really the right way to phrase it, because he's obviously still really into playing for the team. But he's not interested in meeting with agents of NFL scouts anymore. It's weird. When we talk about at practice he just changes the subject or walks away. I mean, the Bears scout is coming to the game in two weeks and Edward doesn't want to meet with him. This summer it was all he could talk about, and now…" he trailed off with a shrug. "I just wondered if he said anything to you."

I swallowed, thinking about our conversation the morning after we had first made love. "So, Edward wanted to go pro, like, he talked about it and planned for it and now he's suddenly not?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I mean, E, Jazz and I all talked about what teams we wanted and who were the best agents out there, and which one of us would win the Super Bowl first. Now, he won't talk about it, period."

"He, ah, he hasn't really said much to me," I lied, not wanting to tell Emmett anything that Edward hadn't already offered to him. "But we don't usually talk about football." Now it was my turn to shrug. "I'll see if I can get him to open up about it, okay? Or at least to talk to you guys about it if he doesn't with me."

Emmett nodded and we parted ways. I had planned on stopping by my house to shower before heading over to Edward's, but now I took the bus straight there. I wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but I knew that Edward hadn't been entirely truthful with me. My stomach twisted in knots as I sat on the bus, waiting anxiously for my stop.

Had he changed his mind? What would make him do that? Was it because of me? It couldn't be. We'd only been together for five weeks, how could I have influenced something that huge in his life? And what would I have done to make him think he needed to change his entire life plan anyway?

By the time the bus reached my stop, I was bouncing my leg wildly and biting my nails. I tore off the bus and dashed up the street to his apartment. I punched in the access code Edward had given me and impatiently waited for the elevator to reach his floor. I knocked on his door and fidgeted with my hands as I heard his footsteps approach.

Edward's smile faded when he took in my appearance. "Bella? What's wrong, love?"

He ushered me inside, settling us on the couch and taking my hand in his. He looked at me, waiting for me to speak.

Before I did, I leaned over and kissed him, just in case things went very, very wrong and it was my last chance. I tried to memorize the softness of his lips and his taste, and the feel of his tongue as it moved across mine. I pulled back and rested my forehead against his. "I love you," I whispered.

Edward's arms came around me and he pulled me into his lap. He tilted me face up to look at his. "You're scaring the hell out of me, baby. What's going on?"

I took a deep breath, trying to figure out a way to start the conversation. "Did you really _never_ see yourself playing pro football?"

Edward's face became wary and his arms tightened imperceptibly around me. "I guess _never_ isn't exactly accurate. But it still doesn't change the fact that I'm not going to."

"I think you saw yourself playing ball more than you're letting on."

"What makes you say that?" he asked nervously.

"Because Emmett asked me if something happened to change your mind. That it was all you could talk about before the school year started and now you won't talk about it at all. He's worried about you." I did my best to keep my voice soft and gentle, not wanting to give him any reason to close himself off from me.

He sighed angrily, "Emmett should learn to keep his mouth shut and mind his own business." He lifted one hand to run his fingers through his hair agitatedly before returning it to my waist. "Okay, I did think about playing ball professionally. But before I ever did, I really always thought I'd go to med school and become a doctor. I just lost focus for a bit."

"When did you start thinking about playing professionally? How long is a 'a bit?'"

He sat pensively for a moment, then met my eyes again. "I guess I started thinking about it, daydreaming really, when I was a junior in high school and started getting recruited to play college ball. But really, you never know just how good you actually are until you play at a higher level. So even if I was good enough for college, that didn't mean I was good enough to go pro.

"It really wasn't until last year that I realized I could play pro football. I didn't believe anyone else who told me, until Major sat me down and talked to me about it. He said I had the potential to be really great if I applied myself."

"Major?" I asked, slightly confused.

Edward chuckled softly, "The starting quarterback last year. He graduated and now works as an assistant coach for the team."

"Oh," I said, blushing. "Then why did you change your mind? From what Emmett said, and what you're telling me, it sounds like going pro was something you truly wanted to do."

He shrugged. "I met you," he said simply.

I blinked at him, "How does meeting me equate to you going to med school instead of playing football? What do I have to do with any of that?"

"You have everything to do with where I end up in life. I would be perfectly happy being a doctor, and you hate football, so the choice was easy. I go to med school instead of into the NFL."

"I don't hate football!" I exclaimed. He lifted his eyebrows at me. "Okay, maybe I wasn't the biggest fan when we first met, but I don't mind it so much now. I may not understand much of what's going on, and I may not care about following different teams and whatever, but I love watching you play. You're so happy out on the field, and it's beautiful to watch you move out there. Not to mention your ass looks fantastic in those pants." I smirked at him and he gave me a small smile back.

I reached up and put one hand on his cheek. "Be honest, would you be happier playing football professionally or being a doctor? Which do you really want more?"

Edward turned his face to kiss my hand. "I want to play football," he mumbled against my palm. He lifted his face from my hand. "But not if it means I can't have you."

"I don't see how they are mutually exclusive," I softly said. "Would you think I'm just another gold-digging, fame-hungry girl looking to find an athlete boyfriend to use if I told you I wanted you to go pro?"

The trepidation I felt clenched in my stomach as he gazed down at me with no expression. My biggest fear was that he would think I only wanted to use him for my own gain. I really didn't care what he did with his life, as long as it was what he wanted to do.

"I could never think that about you, Bella. You are far too sweet and kind and generous to even contemplate being that devious. You're much too transparent with your feelings to pull it off, if you ever tried. I just don't want you to break up with me because you don't want to deal with the lifestyle that comes along with playing in the NFL."

I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing my face into the nook of his neck and shoulder. "Edward, I'm yours as long as you want me. I couldn't break up with you if my life depended on it. I want to be with you, no matter what that entails."

He pulled his arms around me fully, holding my body to his. "I love you, my Bella," he whispered.

His fingers threaded into my hair and gently tugged until my face tilted up to his. He kissed me fiercely, claiming my lips as if he was claiming my soul. I met his passion equally, wanting to bind myself to him forever.

When we broke apart, we were both panting and I squirmed uncomfortably in his lap. I slipped my hands down and under his shirt, running my fingertips along the hard, defined muscles hidden there.

"Besides," I smiled wickedly, "If you quit playing football, you might lose all this muscle definition. And that would be a travesty." I laughed and started to get up, pulling on his hand to lead him into the bedroom.

He smiled, but lightly yanked me back to him. "I did mean what I said at the time when I told you I wanted to be a doctor. I want you to know that I didn't intentionally lie to you. But now, I have to tell you something no on else knows about me to make up for it."

"I know you meant it when you said it," I smiled softly. "Anyway, if you really want to, you could always go to med school after you retire from football. Or with the amount of money I'm sure you'll make, buy your own hospital. Now tell me quick, so we can finish what you started with that kiss."

He laughed and hugged me. He whispered in my ear, "I'm going to play pro football."

I rolled my eyes, "That's not something no one else knows, Edward. In fact, I think I'm the last person to know that."

"Okay, smartass. How about this," he smirked at me. "I'm going to marry you someday."

My eyes grew to the size of saucers. "Edward..."

"Stop, Bella. I don't care that we've only know each other for five weeks. Time has nothing to do with it. I _know_ I will love and want you forever." He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine for a moment. "I am going to marry you one day, Isabella Marie Swan. Nothing is going to change that."

"Don't I get a say in it?" I gently teased him, smiling so he would know I wasn't serious.

"I'll ask you, when the time is right," he quietly laughed. "Will you say yes?" This time he was serious; he wanted to know how I was handling all of this.

I met his gaze steadily and my voice was strong and sure when I answered, not even a hint of fear running through me. "Yes, I'll marry you...one day," I tacked on at the end, smiling.

He kissed me again, this time not stopping when it grew heated. Clothes were shed and suddenly I found myself straddling Edward's lap on the couch. He lifted my hips and eagerly lowered me onto his cock. I moaned loudly at the sensation, my arms coming up to wrap around his neck. I began moving my hips, sliding up and down his hard shaft, and whimpering with pleasure as he filled me deeply. His hands held tight to my waist, helping to guide me. I bit my lip and Edward growled, leaning in to kiss along my neck and up to the spot behind my ear that I loved for him to kiss. I moaned in earnest, riding him faster as the familiar pleasure built rapidly.

Edward thrust his hips in time with mine, his hands digging into the skin at my thighs. I threw my head back, crying out as he hit the spot inside me guaranteed to make me fall apart. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling our bodies flush with each other and nipped at my ear.

"Fuck, baby! You feel so fucking good. Let go for me, love, I can feel you're so close," Edward groaned in my ear, and I shattered in his arms, chanting his name over and over. He tumbled into his own ecstasy just after me. We lay collapsed against each other and the couch for a moment, catching out breath. After a few minutes, Edward stood, picking me up, and walked us back to his bathroom for a quick shower and then to his bed for round two.

* * *

The following Saturday was the Powder Puff Game, along with a couple other events for the end of Greek Week. This weekend had been chosen because it was a bye week, or as Edward had laughingly explained, a week off for the football team.

He was excited to be able to join us for the events that day, but didn't know what it entailed. I'd purposely withheld information as to what I was doing in the hope that he wouldn't be there to witness my humiliation. Emmett however, told Edward he couldn't miss the day's events.

The day was sunny and warm, perfect for lounging on bleachers at one of the intramural fields all day. I sat one seat lower than Edward, nestled comfortably between his knees and my head resting against his stomach. He was, as he frequently did, running his fingers absentmindedly through my hair as we sat there. The morning's event was spelling out each letter of the Greek alphabet using sorority members; bodies. Each sorority had been working on choreographed ways to bend and twist and intertwine bodies to form each of the letters. Traditionally, the girls participating in this event were the new member class being inducted that fall.

As Alice was in charge of teaching and inducting the latest class of members, she had also been in charge of directing them for this event. I laughed as she barked orders and critiqued during one last practice before our girls took the field.

I watched in awe and great amusement as the girls moved and flowed in perfect harmony together, forming each letter in unique and inventive ways. It was the best I'd seen so far, which didn't surprise me since Alice was in charge.

Once the event was over, the girls headed back over to our section. The judges, who were the adult chapter advisors, tabulated their results and sent them to be announced. We cheered loudly, and Alice smiled smugly, when our name was called as the first place winner.

After lunch, there was a rash of track and field events the fraternities took part in, and when everything was complete, we were tied for first place. I noticed Tanya standing with the other girls in the sorority tied with ours. She looked over and saw me still comfortably settled against Edward. She sneered at me and turned around, flipping her stupid strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Edward?" I asked, and he turned his head to look at me. "Is Tanya in a sorority?"

"Oh, fuck. Is she here?" he said, looking around.

I nodded in her direction, "So, you make it a habit of dating sorority girls?"

"Funny, Bella. It wasn't like I knew you were in a sorority when we met. Besides, aren't all sorority girls easy?" he teased.

I hit his leg and he leaned over, kissing the top of my head. Emmett waved me over and I sighed. "That's my cue. Time to enter the eighth ring of hell."

"Can't wait to see what you're up to!" Edward called after me, smacking my ass as I walked away. I threw him a smile over my shoulder.

I trudged down to the field and grabbed the jersey of Edward's that I had stolen and given to Emmett to hide for the game. I pulled it on over my tank top and smiled. It was huge, but it smelled like him, and I would get to flaunt his number.

I joined the other girls gathered on the field, saying hello to some of the girls I'd made friends with at practices. I noticed a lot of the girls were wearing Texas shirts or the girls' style faux jersey shirts like the one I owned. I seemed to be the only one wearing an actually jersey and I garnered a fair number of glances.

I looked over at the bleachers and saw Edward grinning sexily at me, flanked by Alice and Rose. The game was called to commence and cheers filled the air from spectators. I heard Edward's voice louder than the others.

We moved to the sidelines as the 'cheerleaders' came out, the guys decked out in ill-fitting cheerleading uniforms and waving shiny pom-poms. I almost fell over laughing when I spotted Emmett with blue eye shadow and bright red lipstick along with a bleach blonde wig.

The guys opened the game with a routine from each side to be judged for the event. It was hysterical to see these huge guys making up cheers and yelling in high-pitched voices. My favorite part was Emmett attempting a high kick at the end of the routine. He kicked his leg so high his other one flew right out from under him and he landed hard on his ass.

The game was called into order and we began playing. Technically, I was the quarterback, but instead of throwing I typically handed off the ball or tired to run it in myself for most of the plays. The few times I did throw it, it was short distances with a wide-open girl to complete the catch. Overall, the game was fun and we all enjoyed a healthy competition between the teams. Tanya, however, was a different story entirely.

She seemed to have it out for me, maneuvering to end up where I was for each play. She always grabbed for my flag, scratching her nails down my arms occasionally. I tried to blow it off, pushing her away and ignoring her jeering. Edward kept cheering loudly and I tried to focus on his voice and smiling at him from time to time.

Toward the last few minutes of the game, the score was tied and Tanya seemed to throw herself at me with greater fervor. I had just passed off the ball and was running to help block a path for my teammate to run down, when her foot lashed out in front of me. I tripped and fell hard onto the ground. My head was yanked back painfully as Tanya grabbed my ponytail with her talons, ripping out hair as I fell.

"So clumsy, Bella. You should really be more careful," she mocked with obvious disdain.

I mumbled under my breath, standing up and rubbing my head gingerly. We set up formation for the next play and I swiftly charged forward with the ball. I knew we weren't supposed to make contact with each other, just go for the flags to indicate someone as out of play, but that wasn't happening this time.

This time, I charged forward, my eyes glued on Tanya. I pretended to trip when I was close enough to her and slammed into her, knocking her flat on her back in the dirt. I managed to stay upright and smirked down at her. "Oops! I'm just _such _a klutz! My bad!" I laughed as I walked away to set up for the next play.

The score was still tied ten to ten when there was only a minute left to play. We lined up and the ball was snapped, I saw everyone on the opposite team converging on me and backed up a few steps. There would be no handing off or running it in, this time. I looked out over the field and saw a teammate by the goal line, totally open with no one even looking her direction.

I took a deep breath and drew my arm back, throwing the ball with everything I had and trying to remember everything Emmett had taught me. I saw the ball arching through the air and I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to watch if it would hit the intended mark or fall short. There was a moment of stunned silence and I cracked one eye open. It fell right into her arms and she ran the few steps into the goal. I blinked, unable to believe I had actually made a perfect throw and we had scored. We'd won the game.

"_Yes!_ That's _my_ girlfriend!" Edward's ecstatic voice rang out and cheers erupted all around. I found myself caught up in a mass of girls screaming and jumping with joy. Strong arms wrapped around me as Edward tackled me, knocking me to the ground, but twisting at the last moment so he landed underneath and I was on top of him. He beamed up at me and kissed me soundly, catcalls filling the air around us.

We finally broke apart, still smiling at each other. "My brilliant, ass-kicking girlfriend," he murmured proudly. "That was a beautiful throw, baby. I'm so proud of you! That was quite possibly the hottest thing I've even seen."

I laughed and stood, holding my hand out to help him up. With the winning of the game, and me being awarded MVP, it pushed my sorority's point count over to win Greek Week. Edward spent the rest of the weekend going to great lengths to show me just how proud of me he was with how I played the game, and to make sure we properly celebrated winning Greek Week.

* * *

**There you go guys, E is going to play pro ball. You can all breathe easier and stop glaring at me. I told you it would be okay. **

**Also, do you want this story to be more angsty? A heck of a lot of you think James is going to come back in a big, bad way. Light and fluffy, people! Light and fluffy.**

**Thank you again for reading! Reviews get teasers...  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry for the delay, but at least it's still Friday. Real life has been a throwing things at me left, right and center. I'm working on it. We'll see how things go next week.**

**A huge, giant, massive THANK YOU to my betas, darlingsaila and A Letter To No One, without whom my writing would not make sense and be comma less. I hardcore love both of these girls! They are the BEST!**

**Thank you to everyone reading/reviewing/alerting/recc'ing this story! I can't say how much each and every one of them means to me. I am truly overwhelmed by the response. If someone does rec this story, please tell me so I can thank them. I'm a very grateful person, so I say thank you...a lot.  
**

**I don't own Twilight or any university mentioned here or anything you might actually recognize, like the NFL. I'm just playing.  
**

* * *

The next week was fairly quiet; Edward pushed himself more than usual to be ready for the game against the University of Kansas. Aside from knowing it would be really tough match-up and everyone would have to be in top form, there would be NFL agents in town. Edward had been invited to dinner by a representative from the Volturi Group on Saturday night, and was insisting I join them. I kept telling him I didn't think it was a good idea, and he repeatedly reiterated he would pick me up at seven.

Once again, Friday afternoon found us arguing about whether or not I should stay the night. Eventually, Edward won and I conceded to stay the night, on the requirement that we kept things low-key. After ordering in Chinese food, we snuggled on the couch and watched a movie. When the movie was over, he scooped me up, carrying me into his bedroom, and proceeded to make slow, soft love to me.

"Sweetheart?" I whispered as we lay cuddled together, hesitating to bring up the one little fear nagging at me.

"Yes, love?" he mumbled, burrowing his face deeper in my hair.

"Are you looking for an agent because you're going into the draft this year?"

The thought of him leaving, of not having him here next year, was paralyzing. I didn't want to think about what would happen to us if we had to be separated. Surely, he would find another woman. Someone prettier and more graceful, who knew everything about football and could talk to him about it, who was better in bed and knew what they were doing.

"No, baby. I'm going to finish my degree. That was always my plan, even before I met this gorgeous brunette I'm a little obsessed with." He tightened his arms around me and I pressed my body closer to his.

"Then why interview agents now?"

"Because it's a slow process, and if I find someone, they can market me better to garner the best deal possible."

"What if something happens next year?"

"Are you saying I won't play as well next year, Bella?" he joked. "I'm offended! I plan on winning the Heisman two years in a row. That way, the fifty million dollar contract I'd be offered if I were drafted now will be one hundred million next season. I have to make sure I have enough to buy that hospital. I think I like that idea.

"Besides, I couldn't take you with me, and there is no way I'm going to be separated from you for a year. I can hardly deal with away games, and those are only a couple days."

I made a noise in agreement, breathing easier since I knew he would still be around next year.

* * *

In the morning, Edward was quiet, obviously trying to get his head in the game. He gave me a quick kiss before he left, leaving me to get ready for the game at his place. I realized it had been a few weeks since I last slept in my own room; I had taken to packing a bag every few days, and occasionally eating lunch or studying at the house when I knew Edward was busy.

Making a mental note to try to spend a little more time there, I showered and dressed in my faux football jersey with Edward's name and number on it, combined with a jean skirt and flip flops. I'd made Edward promise I wouldn't be chasing after him to get on an ambulance this week and opted for comfortable footwear.

Alice and Rose picked me up, both of them wanting to make sure I wasn't late to the game. Alice was practically beside herself with excitement…and love.

"I'm telling you guys, we're soul mates. Seriously, I've never felt this way about anyone and it's only been two weeks. At first, I thought it was just the best sex I'd ever had, because does he ever know how to make a girl feel good, but after spending time together between romps, I realized he's the perfect guy for me. He's sweet and sensitive, and great at reading my emotions, plus he's fucking hot, and has that incredible accent. God, when he talks dirty in bed, it makes me-"

"Alice!" Rose and I both yelled. "We do not need to know that much detail about your sex life," Rose continued. "We understand that he's good in bed."

"'Good' does not even begin cover it," Alice muttered as we entered the parking lot. "I can't believe how freaking awesome our seats are! These are even better than the ones Edward gave you at the beginning of the year! He was totally holding out!"

I rolled my eyes as Alice continued to babble on about Jasper, the game, and our seats. I was truly pleased both of my best friends had found guys they loved, with the added bonus that the boys were Edward's closest friends. Plus, I now had as many girls in my corner as Irina did in hers. I couldn't stop the smile spreading across my face as we took our seats and Alice flipped Irina and her clan off before they could even start anything.

I cheered loudly for the team as they came out, yelling strongest when Edward's name was announced. He smiled and winked at me just before taking the field. I only wished the rest of the game had been so carefree.

While our team was great, KU's matched us play for play. Both schools' defense teams were at the top of their game, forcing our offense work that much harder. The score stayed low throughout the game and was tied fourteen to fourteen for the majority of it. Unfortunately, at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Kansas made a field goal, making the score fourteen to seventeen in favor of them.

I could see the visible anger and frustration on Edward's face as the minutes ticked down and he was still unable to find an opening to score again. I noticed the other girls giving me dirty looks and became uneasy.

"Hey, Alice, Rose, why am I suddenly on the receiving end of these nasty looks?" I quietly whispered and glanced around to notice other fans I'd never met giving me the same kind of looks.

"I hate to break it to you, Bells, but you are now the most hated girl on campus. If we lose this game, you will officially be a football curse," Rose informed me.

"But that's not fair!" I gasped. "We've won every other game this season and Edward and I have been together practically the entire time!"

"Doesn't matter. We lose, and you make the easiest scapegoat. You did something to him to throw off his mojo and fuck up the game," Alice said mournfully.

The clock ticked down to ninety seconds, when all of a sudden, a chant floated out from the Kansas side of the field. "Rock chalk, Jayhawk! KUUUUUUUU!"

Rose's eyes grew wide and I heard growing rumblings from our side.

"What the hell was that?" I asked.

"That's the KU chant, used when they feel certain of a win. It's sort of considered a Kiss of Death," answered Rose.

"Oh, fuck. Edward's not going to like that," I whined.

I stood up suddenly, spotting Edward pacing anxiously on the sidelines, waiting for our defense to hold Kansas for one last play so he could get a final shot at a touchdown. I'd even settle for another field goal to tie the game and put us in overtime. I walked the few steps to the rail and did my best to catch his eye.

He walked over, scowling slightly. I didn't wait for him to say anything; I simply leaned over and beckoned him closer. "Edward, if you lose this game it will make me a football curse in the eyes of everyone at UT. If you ever want to have sex again, outside of Saturday nights _after_ winning, you will do whatever you have to do to win this game," I hissed at him.

He assessed me for a moment, trying to decide if I was serious or not. The look on my face must have convinced him, because he immediately took on the most determined air I'd ever seen. After nodding once to me, he turned and jogged back to the sidelines to await his final chance.

Thankfully, the opportunity rose before KU was able to run the clock down. Edward rushed out onto the field, barking orders as the other players took their places, with only eighteen seconds. The ball was snapped and, like a mountain lion, Edward instantly sprang into action. I'd never seen him move so fast. He was a blur of motion and in the blink of an eye, was over the goal line. The roar of the crowd was deafening as the touchdown pushed us into the winner's spot and the clock ticked down to zero.

I jumped up and down, screaming at the top of my lungs as Alice and Rose hugged me, yelling in my ears. I watched as the rest of the team raced onto the grass, converging into a mass of cheering boys.

Edward pushed his way to the edge and his eyes found mine. He grinned my favorite crooked grin and pointed to me. I blushed, but refused to hide behind my hair. I gave him my biggest smile and mouthed, "I love you."

He mouthed it back to me and let himself get pulled back into the fray.

* * *

After the game we went down to meet the guys outside of the locker room. I made sure to try to stay as hidden in the crowd as possible to avoid the press. Our guys emerged, blowing off the journalists and heading straight for us. Edward grabbed me up into his arms and kissed me soundly before setting me back on my feet and throwing his arm around my shoulders possessively.

I vaguely recognized the redheaded guy walking with Edward and wondered how I knew him. Abruptly, the answer hit me. He was the one who had told the paramedics to let me on the ambulance with Edward.

I shyly smiled, "Oh, hello again."

He returned my smile, "Hello. I see you're still doing your job."

Edward looked back and forth between us. "You two know each other?"

"Not officially," the guy said. "I'm Major Applewhite." He held his hand out to me.

I grasped it in mine, lightly moving them up and down. "I'm Bella."

He smiled wider at me, "Yeah, I know."

A frown crossed my face. "What do you mean, my 'job?' And while we're on the subject, why did you tell the medics, I'm 'the reason he's been playing so well?' I don't have anything to do with Edward's ability to play football. He was just as good before he ever met me."

The whole group laughed at my expense. I glared and crossed my arms over my chest, not understanding what was so funny. Edward pulled me closer, kissing the top of my head and murmuring, "I love you."

Major finally spoke up. "Yes, technically, you have no influence on his physical skills as a football player; he still throws and runs the ball just as well as he ever has. However, there's this motivation, this intensity that was never present before. You give him someone to play for. And you definitely provided the proper incentive today; I've never seen the boy move so fast. He refuses to tell us exactly what you said, but great job. It worked!"

I felt heat flood my face and hid it in Edward's shoulder. I heard more scattered laughter as Edward began herding us forward. "Come on, love, we only have a couple of hours before dinner."

"Oh, I don't think I should go. I'm pretty sure I've provided enough 'motivation' for the day."

He simply shook his head, chuckling softly.

We had just reached the parking lot when my phone rang. I pulled it out and saw 'Dad' flashing across the screen. Pressing the 'send' button, I held the phone to my ear. "Hi, Dad."

"Isabella Swan, just what in the hell did you tell _that boy_ to make him win this game?"

I froze at the angry sound of my father's voice. "You saw the game? But you always go fishing on Saturdays," I said in a small voice.

"Yes, Bella. I did watch the game today. Last weekend, after Billy and I came back from fishing, I had to hear from Jake and his friends that you were making out with the star quarterback on national television. I thought they were pulling my leg! You didn't tell me your new boyfriend plays football, Bella."

"Jake's a damn liar! He's just mad I wouldn't ever go out with him," I replied.

"So, you're saying you did not kiss _that boy_ for the world to see last week?"

"Well, yes, I did, but we weren't 'making out.' It was a very quick peck. Why does it matter whether or not Edward plays football anyway? I didn't mention it because that's not what's important to me. I told you about _him_. Who he is, not what extracurricular activity he's in."

My dad started to speak, but Edward pulled the phone from my grasp.

"Hello, Chief Swan, this is Edward Cullen." There was a brief pause and he spoke again, "It's nice to speak with you, too, sir. I couldn't help but overhear that you might have some questions about me?"

More silence ensued on his part as I tried to steal my phone back. Edward grinned and danced out of my reach.

His face turned serious, "No, sir. I care very much for your daughter. I would never dream of disrespecting Bella like that. I'm in love with her, sir."

He laughed, "No sir. She threatened never to come to another game if I lost. She has this wild idea that she's a football curse."

"Of course, sir. It was nice talking to you, too."

"Thanks, Charlie. Bye." He pushed the 'end' button and handed me back my phone.

I gaped at him. "'Charlie?'"

He smirked, "Sure, that's his name, right? At least, that was what he asked me to call him." I stood there, sputtering at him. "Come on, beautiful girl. You may not have much to do to look perfect for tonight, but I do."

* * *

Seven o'clock found Edward at my door, and me dressed in a hunter green wrap dress that fell just above my knee, paired with simple black flats and my pearl necklace. Alice had pulled my hair into a low ponytail, smoothing it so it draped over one shoulder in perfect waves. It drew attention to my neckline and the pearls, which pleased me. The necklace had been a high school graduation gift from my dad, and I knew had cost more than any other present I'd ever received.

Edward looked devastatingly handsome in a perfectly tailored dark blue suit. It was all I could do not to throw him on the ground and have my wicked way with him. A whimper may have escaped me.

He smiled tenderly at me. "You are a vision, love." I couldn't help but reach for him, pressing my lips to his. He sighed against my mouth before reluctantly pulling away. "We should go, love."

Dinner was held at the fanciest restaurant I'd ever set foot in. Each table had its own team of servers and, unbeknownst to me, our party was large enough that they gave us a private room. Aside from Edward and myself, there was Caius, the agent, Jane, the publicist, Coach, Major, plus a lawyer employed by the university, Mr. Anderson, and the Cullen's family lawyer, Mr. Jenks.

Coach and Major greeted me warmly, both of them giving me hugs and complimenting me on how I looked.

I shook hands with both lawyers, and Caius and Jane.

"Lovely necklace, Miss Swan," Jane spoke as we were seated. "Is that a gift from Edward?"

"Oh, no," I exclaimed, placing one hand on the strand. "It was a high school graduation gift from my father."

Her eyes turned calculating. "Rather expensive present for a small town police chief."

"How did you know that about my father?" I gasped, completely taken back.

"Miss Swan, we make it our business to know everything about our potential clients. Apparently, that now includes knowing all about you," she snidely answered.

"Jane," Caius softly warned. "You'll have to forgive us, Miss Swan. When it comes to handling high-profile clients, it behooves us to investigate those surrounding said client. We have to protect our clients as best we can. You do understand, don't you? We only have Edward's best interest at heart."

"Of course," I said, quietly. Edward's hand grasped mine under the table and rubbed soothing circles on my palm.

"You needn't have worried about Miss Swan, as your research would have shown. Her background is impeccable, not a single blemish on her record," Mr. Jenks interjected.

Edward's gaze snapped to him. "You ran a background check on Bella?"

He met Edward's stare with one of his own. "Of course we did. You should have known your parents would ask that of my office."

Edward clenched his jaw, flexing the muscle there. "My parents met Bella at the first game. They had no reason to have her investigated."

"You know as well as I that appearances can be deceiving. Your parents were just protecting you."

"Yes, and yet, they'll still be getting a phone call from me tonight."

"Edward," I whispered and squeezed his hand gently.

"Sorry, love," he said as he kissed my temple.

Thankfully, one of our servers came and took our drink orders.

"Why don't we get down to business?" Coach suggested.

"Excellent idea," Mr. Anderson added. "Of course, you should know this all preliminary. We will be meeting with numerous other agencies so that Mr. Cullen can make the best choice possible. The University of Texas also prides itself on protecting its students; _all _of them."

I studied my menu while preliminary talks began, attempting to make myself as invisible as possible. Drinks were served and orders taken for dinner while Caius discussed the kind of deals he could make for Edward, and what teams he thought were the best options.

"Of course," Caius added, "you will need to adjust how you're playing the game to make yourself as marketable as possible. I know your running game is extremely strong, and has won a number of matches, however, most NFL offenses prefer a passing game, and will need to know you can deliver."

"Michael Vick has a notably aggressive running game and he's considered one the best NFL quarterbacks ever." I froze in horror. Had that really just come out of my mouth? Where the hell was my filter? My sense of self-preservation? I'd sworn to myself I wouldn't say a word unless directly addressed. Oh, God, why did I always feel the need to defend Edward? I need to beat my inner mama bear into submission.

I felt every single set of eyes rest on me, and a diatribe of expletives directed at Alice for pulling my hair back ran through my head. I looked down at the table, blushing ferociously and rapidly blinking back tears.

From my peripheral vision I saw Edward smirking at me. "Why, Isabella Swan, have you been researching football?"

I relaxed by the tiniest bit at the teasing quality of his warm voice. I shook my head in denial, still too embarrassed to speak. I felt Edward's fingers rest at the base of my neck, massaging delicately.

"That's so cute, baby. I love how you're always quick to defend me," he continued to tease, grinning now and seeing through my blatant lie. I heard muted chortles from the others.

I met his gaze, smiling despite myself. "Shut up, Edward."

He snickered, "Love you, too." He faced Caius again, his demeanor all business once more. "My brilliant girlfriend does have a point."

Caius's face was a mixture of amusement and condescension. "Miss Swan does raise a valid example, however, Vick is the exception, not the rule. If you can't step up your passing game, you will find it quite difficult to get drafted at all, let alone first round. Any agent worth their salt will tell you that."

"I'm aware," Edward answered. "There's also something to be said for _how_ they import that information."

Caius nodded once, appropriately chastised. Our meals were served and I busied myself with eating and keeping silent. Caius and Jane both tried to sell the Volturi Group as a whole by mentioning a few famous clients and what kind of deals had been made for them. Overall, I was unimpressed. I was turned off by their "holier than thou" attitudes and blatant condescension toward me. I was also aware that it really wasn't my decision and made a vow I would not express my opinion to Edward. This was his decision entirely.

By the time dessert was served I was anxiously awaiting the end of the evening.

"So, Bella, what are your plans after graduation?" Major asked, trying to draw me back into conversation.

I slowly chewed my bite of cheesecake to buy time. "I plan on going to graduate school."

"Really? What do you plan to study?" Coach chimed in, and I felt the weight of everyone's attention.

"English. I haven't decided if I'll do a Masters or a Ph.D. Most likely a Masters, since I'm already pretty well indebted with student loans. Out-of-state tuition isn't cheap," I nervously giggled and saw Caius and Jane were the only ones not smiling.

"What schools are you interested in? I'm sure the university has resources you could use to look into scholarships," Mr. Anderson proposed.

"I'm not entirely certain. I know Dartmouth and Northwestern have top rated programs. I'm also looking into University of Washington; I'd qualify for in-state tuition. I have looked into a few scholarships, though."

Mr. Anderson smiled, "Well, I'm sure you'd have no problem getting a scholarship. You've maintained at four-point-oh grade point average thus far. You might also check out the scholarship services in our financial aid department, I'm sure they could help you find even more opportunities."

I smiled graciously at him. I was starting to think everyone at this table knew more about me than I did. It was becoming a bit unnerving.

"Yes, I'm sure you'll have a very fulfilling little life, wherever that may be," Jane added in a sickly sweet voice.

"Thank you for dinner," Edward snapped, standing abruptly. Everyone looked up at him in shock. "You've given me more than enough information to help make my decision." He gave a curt nod to Caius and Jane. "Bella?" he softly spoke, holding his hand out to me.

I placed my hand in his, rising. "Thank you for a lovely meal," I told Caius, and Edward guided me out. By the time Edward's car was brought up by the valet, my entire body was aching from the tension of the meeting.

I sank into the soft leather seat and closed my eyes, exhaling loudly. Edward slipped into the driver's seat and took off from the restaurant.

I felt the movement of the car slow after a minute or two and open my eyes to find Edward pulling over on a side street.

I frowned. "Edward, what are you doing? I'm kind of exhausted and still stressed from dinner. I really just want to go home."

He reached over and pressed his hand to my cheek and kissed my forehead. "I'm so sorry, love. They had no right to act the way they did to you. Those bastards will _not_ be gaining me as a client, that's for damn sure."

"You can't let how they talked to me affect your decision. I have nothing to do with it. Maybe I should just skip any other meetings you may have," I protested.

"You have everything to do with it! You and I are together, and if those self-righteous bastards think you're just some passing fancy they can treat like shit, they can go fuck themselves.

"Look, I know this sounds terrible, but it was also part of why I demanded you come tonight. I wanted to see how you would be regarded. Whoever I pick to represent me will be a big part of my life, and by default, yours, too. If they can't conduct themselves in a friendly manner toward you, they will not make the cut."

"Edward," I gave an exasperated sigh.

"Bella," he returned in a mocking tone.

"You're impossible," I grumbled, and he grinned at me.

"Yeah, but you love me."

"I do. I have no idea why, but I do," I teased. He leaned over and kissed me, thoroughly reminding me of one reason I loved him so much.

* * *

Once back at his apartment, we changed clothes and readied for bed together, the sexual tension from the start of the evening was ruined by dinner. I was a little disappointed I hadn't gotten to ravage him in that suit, but knew it wouldn't be the last time he wore one.

We were brushing our teeth at the same time and I had to smile at the domesticity between us. I was practically living with him by now, and things were so comfortable and easy between us. I hoped it would always be this way.

"What are you smiling at, beautiful girl?" Edward asked as he put up his toothbrush.

"This," I answered, gesturing between the two of us. "It's just very cohabitating."

"Hmm, cohabitating…with you. I kind of like that idea." He leaned against the counter. "What's your lease like at the sorority house?"

"Edward! I am not moving in with you. At least not right now. I can't break the lease anyway, I'd still have to pay rent for the rest of the year."

"I bet Jenks could find a loophole, he's very good at that," he countered.

I began pushing him out of the bathroom and toward the bed. "Oh, stop it. It's late and I'm tired. Time to sleep."

We snuggled up together and I pulled the covers up, deeply inhaling the Edward-scent surrounding me.

"Bella, what did you think of the possible teams Caius mentioned?" Edward asked.

"Um, I don't really know. I'm not sure I could really make an informed statement on them. Why?"

"Well, it's just that…um, what I mean is, you want to go to grad school and I can't guarantee where I'll end up, and I don't want to be apart from you, but I also don't want to seem like I'm dictating where you end up because I want you to pick one that you like, and has a great program, but-"

"Edward, breathe," I laughed, cutting off his rambling. "I know I mentioned a couple places I've looked at, but honestly, I haven't looked everywhere, and it really will depend on if I'm able to get any scholarships for most of the schools."

"You don't have to worry about money. I'll always take care of you."

"You are not paying for my school!"

"I didn't mean that, but even if you end up with a hundred thousand dollars in loans, once we get married my money becomes yours. Even if I don't make a hundred million, I'll still make enough that paying off any financial aid won't be a problem."

As much as it rubbed me the wrong way to take Edward's money, he did have a point. We already talked about marriage, so it would be irrational of me to be offended that he wanted to help take care of me. If the roles were reversed, I'd want to do the same.

"Okay, I see your point. But why don't we cross that bridge when we come to it," I conceded.

"Thank you, love," he whispered and began humming my lullaby. He paused for a moment. "You know, Northwestern is in Chicago."

"Mmmhmm," I hummed, flirting with sleep.

"The Bears were mentioned as a possibility for me, and I know I wouldn't mind moving back to Chicago. How does Northwestern rank on your list of choices?"

"Good night, Edward."

I felt his laugh. "Good night, Isabella."

* * *

**Alright, so there you go. Let me know what you think. I know it was a little more serious than the other chapters, but that kind of thing does pop up from time to time in life. :o) Next week will be far more lighthearted...with lots of lemons.**

**I will do my best to reply to reviews, but they might be short replies. It's that or not writing the next chapter. But I will still send teasers with my very brief replies. :o)  
**


	13. Chapter 13

**I know, I know, I'm really late (really, really, really late) in posting this chapter. This chapter did not want to be written. It was evasive and elusive and, in general, a pain in the ass. It's not my favorite. I am also never again telling anyone, I'm updating on (insert date/time). Every single time I do, I never hit that deadline. Sorry guys, if you ask I'll probably tell you "soon" or "I'm days away from being ready."**

** I love my betas, A Letter To No One and darlingsaila, they are fantastic and wonderful and awesome. I wish real life meant we were paid to write and beta fanfic, it would make things so much easier! I can't say enough fabulous things about them because they are the ones who made this chapter readable. Srsly. **

**(Side note to my bestie who very recently found out about this story, A - if you read this and tell ANYONE, I will show up on your doorstep ready to kick your ass. Love you!)**

**I don't own Twilight or any university mentioned here or anything you might actually recognize, like YouTube. I'm just playing.**

* * *

"Edward, what is this?" I called to him from the kitchen, staring at my keys. He walked out from his bedroom, smiling innocently at me.

"What's what, baby?"

"That," I stated and pointed with a spatula at the offending object lying on the breakfast bar. "That foreign object which wasn't on my key ring the last time I checked."

He glanced at it, grinning widely. "I think that's what people call a 'key,' love."

"Very astute for a jock. Where did it come from, and what does it go to, Edward?"

"Hmm, that is a mystery. It sort of looks like the one I have for my door. Let's try it." Picking up my keys, Edward walked out of his door and I heard the lock slide into place and then back again before he re-entered. "Yep, it's definitely to get in and out of this apartment." After placing the keys back by my purse, he made his way into the kitchen, wrapped his arms around me from behind and kissed my cheek.

"And why exactly do I need a key to your apartment?"

"Because I have to leave town for the game on Saturday. I need someone to water my plants."

"You don't have any plants, Edward."

He sighed. "I want you here, even though I won't be."

"It's Wednesday, and I'll see you Friday after the girls and I drive up to Dallas. I hardly think I need to hang out in your apartment by myself."

He rested his head on the top of mine. "I know, but I like the idea of you being here, even if I'm not. No offense, but my place is more secure than yours. Plus, I like the idea of you sleeping in my bed, you know it's more comfortable than the one at your sorority house."

He did have a point. His cushy, pillow top, queen-sized bed, with the added bonus of Edward-scent, versus my twin with metal springs poking into my back. Not really a hard decision. "Okay, you win. I'll stay here. Your bed is more comfortable than mine."

He kissed my cheek. "Thank you, Bella. Are you making me breakfast before I have to leave for Dallas? Because that might just make you the best girlfriend on the planet."

I did my best to not let him distract me with the soft brushes of his lips against my neck. "I'm already the best girlfriend on the planet for putting up with your shit," I grumbled.

"That you are, my love," he whispered against my ear, and I couldn't hold back the shiver trailing through me.

His hands moved across my body as he pulled my back tightly against his chest. One snaked up his shirt that I was wearing and cupped my breast, kneading gently. My nipples were instantly hard and my thighs clenched with desire. The other hand slipped beneath the edge of my cotton panties, fingertips brushing just above where I wanted them, needed them to be. I let out a moaned plea and his middle finger inched out to circle my throbbing bundle of nerves, just once.

"Oh, God, Edward!" I cried, pressing my head back against him.

For a moment, the hand on my breast was gone and I heard myself whimper brokenly. Edward reached behind him and flipped the knob on the stove, turning it off. Then his fingers returned, rolling my nipple between his thumb and forefinger. My hands shot out, grasping at the breakfast bar in front of me, the spatula clattering to the floor.

I panted and my knees shook as Edward continued his assault on me. He found my slick folds and teased me mercilessly, rubbing tenderly and every so often dipping inside me. I felt the delicious tension building inside me swiftly and knew he could tell by my increasing wetness and the way my pussy clamped onto him when his fingers slid into me.

I could hear my breathless moans and sighs, and just when my vision started to blur, I found myself being spun and lifted onto the breakfast bar I had been gripping for dear life. My panties fell to the floor as Edward knelt between my legs, grabbing my hips to yank me to him. Then all I knew was his tongue, flat and pressed hard on my clit, and his fingers pumping into me.

My hands gripped his hair as I yelled out his name. I couldn't look away from the sight of him, nestled so intimately between my thighs, his green eyes staring deeply into mine. I felt my entire being tremble from the intensity of the orgasm building. Suddenly, his mouth shifted and his lips curled to suck at my clit while his tongue traced circles. I felt him reach deep inside me, caressing against that special spot, and I shattered, coming and screaming and clamping around his fingers.

Somehow, Edward found a way to slip his tongue into me and move his fingers up to tenderly massage my clit, milking my orgasm as much as possible. By the time the waves of ecstasy slowly stop rolling through me, I was a moaning, writhing, hot mess, completely at Edward's mercy.

He moved up my body, licking his lips and smiling contentedly. "Thanks, baby. Delicious breakfast." He chuckled, and after wiping his hand across his mouth, kissed the edge of my jaw.

Even though I still hadn't quite caught my breath again, I grabbed his arm when he started to make his way back out of the kitchen. "Where the hell do you think you're going? I'm not done with you yet."

Edward gave me a quizzical stare and I returned it with my best imitation of his smirk. In what I hoped was a sensual move, I slid off the counter and down onto my knees, directly in front of Edward. Swiftly unbuttoning his shorts, I pulled out his cock. He hissed when my hand wrapped around his shaft, stroking softly.

I looked up at him and lightly kissed the head, running the point of my tongue along the slit found there. He loudly groaned and his ands moved into my hair, fisting as tightly as he dared to without hurting me.

I hummed against his tip, evoking a guttural cry from Edward, and parted my lips to slowly draw his cock into my mouth. I kept my tongue flat, massaging the underside as I sucked and shifted my head up and down him.

"Oh, shit! Bella!" Edward shouted and I continued my ministrations, easing him deep into my mouth to touch the back of my throat. It didn't take long to drive Edward into a frenzy, and soon enough, his legs were shaking with the effort of holding back from thrusting wildly into my mouth.

His words spurred me on, and the feral, uncontrolled noises escaping him made me wet all over again. Finally, I relaxed my throat as much as I could and deep throated his cock until my nose brushed his pelvis.

"Fuck, yes, baby! I'm coming, shit, I'm coming so fucking hard," he moaned, as I felt and tasted his seed in the back of my throat.

* * *

After Edward left with the rest of the team to head up to Dallas late Wednesday morning, the rest of the day sucked. Nothing in particular happened, but knowing I wouldn't see Edward for almost three days made the day drag. By the time I made it back to my house for dinner, I was anxious for anything to distract me. Thankfully, I could always count on some of my crazier sisters to entertain me with stories of what had been going on while I'd been living in Edwardland.

Once dinner was finished, I packed a new bag to get me through the next few days until Rose, Alice and I headed up to Dallas for the University of Oklahoma game. As one of two major rivalries at Texas, OU Weekend was a rite of passage. Everyone would drive up for the weekend, go to the game, and spend the rest of the weekend either getting trashed celebrating the win or morning the loss. It was my first time making the trip and I hoped, for both Edward's and my sake, we would be celebrating the win.

I tossed and turned for about an hour before sending Edward a text to see if he was still awake. He called me in return, and I finally fell asleep listening to his voice and deep, even breathing.

Thursday was just as slow and torturous, and I went straight back to Edward's apartment when my classes were finished. I collapsed on his bed, pressing my face into his pillow, deeply inhaling Edward's yummy scent. After a few moments, I sighed heavily and forced myself to get up again. I studied for a couple hours and then cooked myself dinner, waiting for Edward to call.

This time when he called, I simply curled up in bed and we talked for quite a while about our days and how things were going in practice. I was a little snippy given that I was used to seeing Edward on a daily basis, which also typically meant he would get me off in some form or fashion at least once a day.

"Baby, you sound a little frustrated," he said, his warm, velvet voice washing over me. I was so turned on just from that, I had to bite his pillow to keep from groaning out loud.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I just miss you, so much."

He laughed softly, "I miss you, too, love. That wasn't the kind of frustrated I meant. I mean you sound sexually frustrated. Are you wet thinking about me and hearing my voice? Because I'm so fucking hard thinking about you lying in my bed, touching yourself."

I moaned, suddenly breathless. My hand crept down between my legs of its own volition. I shuddered and whimpered as Edward continued to croon sweet and dirty words in my ear while I slowly stroked myself. I answered with my own naughty, whispered responses and was rewarded with Edward's sounds of pleasure. Slowly, we climaxed together, both of us savoring the moment.

Eventually, I fell asleep with Edward humming my lullaby over the phone.

* * *

Finally, Friday arrived and I couldn't wait to leave for Dallas. Not only would traffic be atrocious, but the only reason we hadn't left last night was because of my sadistic Anthropology professor, who was giving a midterm today. She was either completely oblivious to what the weekend held, or, more likely, was simply being cruel and forcing students to show up or risk failing the class.

Luckily I was able to complete the test quickly, having been able to study without being distracted by a certain sexy football player. I practically ran from the room after turning in my exam. I called Alice and skipped waiting for the bus, instead opting to walk to Edward's apartment. I made it in record time, gathering my bag and changing clothes swiftly. Rose texted me to let me know they were outside waiting, and I headed down. I stopped short at the sight of a white Cadillac Escalade idling out front with Rose behind the wheel.

Both of the girls laughed as Alice rolled down the window. "Get in! We've waited long enough for your ass," Rose called.

I threw my bag into the very back of the car and then climbed into the backseat. "Who owns this car?"

"Emmett," Rose answered smugly. "He said he wanted us riding in style and comfort."

I snorted derisively, but found myself stretching out across the soft leather seat. I couldn't deny that it was comfortable.

Once on the crowded highway, I sent Edward a short message that we were finally on our way. My phone beeped immediately.

**That's great, love. How was your test? – E**

I smiled, loving that he remembered I even had one, and wanted to know how it went.

**It was fine. Pretty sure I aced it. Can't wait to see you! –B**

My phone beeped again and I switched it to vibrate so it wouldn't bother Alice and Rose. I was still trying to keep up my end of the conversation with them while texting with Edward.

**Can't wait to see you either, baby. Can't wait to fuck you senseless, too. – E **

My eyes widened as I read his words and I shifted in my seat as I found myself aching for him.

**So mean, getting me all wet for you. I still have hours to go before I get there… ;) – B **

Two could play at this game, as I'd learned last night.

**Good thing I'm in shape to be able to give it to you for hours. I have plans for your sweet ass when you get here. – E**

**Such a tease! Don't I even get a hint? You make things so hard. Oops, that's what I do, isn't it? :p – B **

It was a few minutes before I heard back from him and I chatted with the girls more as we made our way out of Austin.

**You always have me hard for you. Here's your hint, I'm going to make you come over and over and over… – E **

My eyes widened as I took in his message. I swallowed loudly and decided to put my phone away for a while or risk taking things into my own hands, literally, here in the backseat.

After our first pit stop about two hours into the drive, I pulled my phone back out to see another text from Edward.

**Fingering... –E **

I bit my lip to keep from moaning aloud.

***moans* Fighting to keep my own from taking a trip down under. – B **

I hastily jumped into the argument Rose and Alice were having over whose iPod we were going to listen to now that we had lost reception of all the good radio stations. As much as I was enjoying sexting, I really was turned on and throbbing uncomfortably at this point. Normally, the drive to Dallas was, at most, three hours, but with the traffic today, it looked like we still had another three hours to go.

Once I calmed down enough, and sided with Rose for music – there was no way I was listening to Alice's Top 40 pop crap – I read his response.

***growls* Fuck, I'm so hard thinking about you like that. – E **

**Tonguing... – E**

My eyes rolled back imagining him between my thighs, his tongue doing unspeakably dirty things to me. I practically orgasmed right then and there, from reading that one little word.

***on knees, begging* Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me! – B **

My body trembled with need. Thankfully, we made another pit stop and I could get out and try to calm down. I bought a Coke before climbing back into the car with the girls, letting the cold drink help cool me. I needed a distraction. I thought about trying to nap, but I also knew that if I was even able to fall asleep, I would dream of Edward doing dirty things to me. I was notorious for talking in my sleep, and I cringed thinking of what would likely come out of my mouth.

Luckily for me, Alice provided an excellent distraction.

"So, I know it's slightly out of our way, but we have to swing by the Galleria before we head to the hotel. It's our only chance to get in a little shopping this weekend."

"What?" I choked out. "Have you lost your mind? The Galleria is nowhere near the hotel and it would be hours before we got out of there. No fucking way!"

"Bella is right. Not happening. I've been away from Emmett for too long to make that kind of a side trip," Rose agreed.

"But, you guys, this is my one trip to Dallas a year! I must go shopping at the Galleria. Must."

"Absolutely not, Ali. I'm not going to be that close to Edward and just keep driving to go to a flipping mall."

"It is not a _mall_, Bella. It's the _Galleria_," Alice said in an exasperated manner.

"Don't care. If you want to go shopping, drop me at the hotel first. I'm not going."

"Ditto," Rose added.

"But you have to; it's not fun shopping without my girls!" Alice whined.

"How can you not want to see Jasper? What is wrong with you?" I asked.

"Oh, I want to see Jazz, but I know I'll get to see him, and I won't get the chance to go shopping at the Galleria again until next year. I can hold out a few more hours."

"Well, I can't. How about if we go shopping, with the boys, before we leave Dallas on Sunday? We all know traffic will be horrendous, no matter what time we leave," I offered.

"And we get to listen to my iPod for the rest of the trip."

"Fucking evil pixie," Rose muttered. "Fine, if that's what it takes to get you to stop whining for the rest of the trip."

Alice gloated and switched out iPods, and I resisted checking my texts. Instead, I occupied the rest of the drive by talking to Rose about her plans for after graduation and with Alice about how things were going with Jasper. They both asked about Edward and the dinner with the reps. Rosalie shared that she and Emmett had been courted by a couple agents and was appalled they had treated me that way. I told her I thought it was because no one would dare mess with her, she was too much of a 'don't fuck with me' kind of girl.

When we reached the outskirts of Dallas, I finally took my cell back out of my purse to check my messages.

***groans loudly* Shit, I almost came reading your last text. Don't you worry, baby. I'll take such good care of you. – E **

**I plan to fuck you until you come twice. I won't stop until you do. – E **

Evil, evil, evil boy! I couldn't believe how hot and bothered I was just from a few texts. God, if we didn't get there soon, I was going to scream in frustration. I was jumping Edward as soon as I laid eyes on him. I didn't care where I was or who would see me ravishing my boyfriend. All I knew was that I needed him in the worst way.

I bounced my knee in anticipation as Rose wound the car through the streets, at long last reaching the hotel. One glance at the other girls and I knew we would be valeting the car. It seemed I wasn't the only one in the car who was keyed up to see their man.

We unloaded the car quickly and Rose tossed the key to the valet. We spotted the elevators and made our way toward them. Alice squealed and threw herself at Jasper when she saw him in the lobby. Rose and I continued to the elevator and I tapped my foot impatiently as we waited for it. Once inside, we pushed the buttons for our requisite floors.

Rose called out a quick good bye as she exited, leaving me alone for the rest of the ride. I nearly leaped out of the car when the doors opened and I swiftly headed for Edward's room. I'd memorized the room number when he'd given it to me, and now found myself knocking on his door. I hadn't sent him a text back, so he still didn't know that I had arrived at the hotel.

"Who is it?" he barked irritably.

I giggled quietly. "Room service," I playfully called out.

I heard his agitated footsteps and grumbled curses as he approached the door. He began disagreeing before it was fully open. "I didn't order any damn room service!"

With Edward now able to see me, I smirked at him. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I'll go, then."

With a feral groan, he grabbed around my waist and pulled me flush against his body, kissing me soundly. I lifted my arms around his neck, and wrapped my legs around his waist, as I kissed him back. I heard the door slam shut and then felt my back being pressed to it. I moaned loudly into his mouth when I felt his hands caressing the outsides of my thighs, hiking my skirt up.

He ground his cock against my pussy, causing me to cry out. My hands fisted in his hair as I tilted my head to give him access to my neck. Edward kissed and sucked at the skin there, eliciting breathy whimpers from me. I felt one of his hands rubbing the inside of my thigh and I thrust against him, urging him on and desperate for release.

Deftly, his fingers found the scrap of material covering my heated sex and pushed it aside. We both groaned when they delved deep inside me, my wetness dripping all over them. I started trembling in his arms, burying my face into his neck and calling his name as his long digits stroked my pussy. His thumb brushed against my clit and I yelped in pleasure, feeling my body faintly convulsing around his fingers.

"Oh, Bella," he moaned, still pumping his hand into me and massaging my clit thoroughly.

I panted and bucked my hips into him, yelling out as my climax pulsed through me. Edward held me close as I rode the waves of my orgasm. Finally, I laid my head back against the door, breathing heavily. My hands loosened from his hair and came around to cradle his jaw. "Hello, my love," I said breathlessly.

Edward gave a small growl and kissed me, tenderly this time. "Hello, my beautiful girl," he answered as he rested his forehead to mine.

I pressed my lips to his once more. "I missed you and I love you."

He smiled at me. "I missed you and I love you, too." He gently disentangled my legs from around his waist. He moved his mouth to my ear. "That's one. Now for number two."

My eyes rolled back and I let out a ridiculously loud moan as he knelt in front of me. He took the edges of my thong in his hands and ripped it off me. I gasped, but Edward didn't pause. He lifted one leg, then the other, over his shoulders and used one hand to help pin me to the door.

Then his mouth was on me and I all I could do was feel. His tongue licked at my pussy, sliding in along my top wall and back out to come up to circle my clit. I screamed and sobbed and begged as he drove my pleasure to new heights. My body was already sensitive from having come once and it didn't take long to bring me back up to the precipice once more. With one small dip of his tongue into my entrance, I toppled over into ecstasy while Edward continued to lap at me.

My legs slid from his shoulders, trembling as I tried to bear my weight. Edward nipped at my earlobe and I cried out, every nerve in my being hypersensitive. "That's two," he told me in a deep, husky voice. "Now I want to hear those words I've been waiting for." I whimpered, not knowing what he was asking of me. "Tell me, baby. Say what you want me to do and I'll make you come harder than you ever have."

His fingers had lightly begun teasing me between my legs again and I thrashed my head back and forth. "Please, Edward," I begged.

"Please what, love? Tell me," he whispered.

"Fuck me!" I groaned. "I want you to fuck me!"

He let out this guttural noise and, moments later, was prepped and ready for me. His fingers teased me again for a few seconds before he slammed into me. I screamed his name as I came instantly, my body shaking as he held me to the door and gently rocked into my hips as I came down from my high.

I felt completely boneless as I collapsed into his body. "That's three, baby. One more," Edward breathed, straining not to move too much while I recovered.

"Edward, I don't…I don't think I can take anymore," I protested weakly.

He shifted us so that he was holding me with one arm and brought his free hand up to caress my cheek. "My Isabella. Just let me love you."

I sighed softly at the obvious love burning in his eyes and nodded. Still joined together, he lifted me from the door and walked into the bedroom. Delicately laying me across the bed, he kissed me, distracting me from everything else but him. Slowly he began to move inside me once more and I involuntarily arched up to meet him. I allowed my sense of touch to take over everything; concentrating on the soft roughness of his tongue against mine, and the way he filled my body completely. I could feel the softness of my body yielding to mold to the hard steel of his. Every stroke felt amazing, and incredibly, my body began escalating back toward euphoria.

Edward's moans drove me higher; I loved how his hands tightened their hold on me. I reveled in the little ways he displayed his pleasure, knowing I was the source of it all. Finally, my body reached the cusp and I keened out his name as I came so hard my vision blurred in a kaleidoscope of colors and my breath seized.

Edward followed in quick succession, groaning my name loudly. Afterwards he rolled to one side, taking me with him. He kissed me again and whispered "Four," making me giggle helplessly.

* * *

Later that evening, after we had ordered room service, I lay in Edward's arms, undeniably sated. Edward was toying with my hair and tapped his other fingers anxiously against the bed. I could tell he was no longer relaxed the way he had been when we were eating dinner.

"Sweetheart, are you worrying about the game?"

He sighed. "A little. I just don't want to screw up, and last week was too close for comfort."

I nodded against his chest. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

I felt, more than heard, his laugh. "No, love. I promise you've relaxed me far more than anyone else would have."

I smiled at that, but still wanted to do something for him. I racked my brain for any ideas, but all that I came up with was taking a bath. That didn't really seem like the kind of thing Edward would really be into. It was too bad we weren't at his place, or I'd ask him to play me something on the piano.

"Oh!" I exclaimed, sitting up. "Throw a shirt on and come with me."

Dressed only in my panties and a tank top, I grabbed my pajama pants and yanked them on. Edward looked at me curiously but did as I asked. I grabbed a key and held out my hand. He took it and I led us out of the room and down to the main lobby.

I knew he was dying to know where I was taking him, but he obligingly kept silent. Smiling triumphantly, I pointed to the piano in an alcove just off the lobby. I'd vaguely registered its presence when I saw Alice run over to Jasper earlier. Edward's grin was infectious as he took in the sight.

We walked over and Edward settled himself on the bench, drawing me into my usual place between his legs. He kissed my cheek and started playing. I had no idea what it was, but it was beautiful and perfect, as always. I grinned up at him when he finished the song, lifting my own hands to the keys.

Staring at them, I stumbled over the first few bars of _Heart and Soul,_ trying my best to do it justice. I'd looked up easy to learn songs online and used YouTube videos to teach myself while Edward was gone. I fumbled a note and Edward nudged me to keep going.

I continued to play as he placed his own hands on the keys around me and began to play along. He added in the more complicated parts and eventually I just laughed and quit playing altogether. He finished the song and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"That was great. When did you learn to play that, beautiful girl?"

I smiled softly. "Oh, two days ago. Very informative YouTube videos. I've been practicing for hours."

He brushed his lips to my cheek again. "You were wonderful, love."

I guffawed. "I was terrible, Edward!"

"You weren't! I think for having only learned this two days ago, you were excellent."

"Yeah, right. Play me my lullaby and stop kissing my ass."

He brought his mouth close to my ear. "I thought you liked it when I kissed things down there."

I elbowed him and he laughed, starting to play my lullaby. As always, I laid my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes, letting the music wash over me. When he finished, he pressed his lips to mine and I lifted my hand to his cheek. "Thank you, Edward."

"Thank _you_, love. This helped relax me a lot. You always seem to know exactly what I need."

We rose and made our way back up to his room, where we curled up together for the night.

* * *

**Okay, am I forgiven? I should be considering this chapter was like 70% lemon. And there's more next chapter, which I will do my best to update on schedule. Meaning next week, not later this week. Sorry, real life has not been super kind lately. **

**As always, reviews get teasers. With likely short replies since I've been getting so many. I feel as though I sound like I'm complaining. I promise I love each and every one of them. And I now have over 400. Ho-ly shit! Love you guys, so, so much!**


	14. Chapter 14

**I'm begging your forgiveness for being late updating once again. I'll explain more at the bottom, I do have a reason. Also, please don't hate me, I didn't reply to any reviews this time around and I'm so sorry! I promise I will be better this time around. **

**Very quick note, I would like to remind everyone that B&E have been using condoms and B is on the pill. I know it's not written in the story, but I think I mentioned it before, but just wanted to clarify so there's no confusion. No little baby QBwards will be running around.**

**Okay, stopping babbling. More at the bottom. OH! And this is currently unbeta'ed as my amazing, awesome beta, darlingsaila, has been super busy. I'll update the content once I get it back from her. I did my best to catch my mistakes, but I'm certain there are still ones in there.  
**

**I don't own Twilight, any songs mentioned below, or any other university or name brand anything. I do own Girl Scout cookies! :o)  
**

* * *

The morning of the Texas versus Oklahoma game dawned clear and bright. I decided to get up and dressed when Edward awoke, since I knew I wasn't really supposed to be in his room to begin with. We headed downstairs and entered the crowded lobby. I walked hand in hand with Edward, toward the large group of players gathered by the doors.

He scanned the room idly, then sighed softly. "I'll have to go soon. What are you going to do with your morning?"

"I'll probably call Alice and Rose, see if they want to grab breakfast or something," I answered.

There was a whistling sound outside the doors and the guys started moving toward the exit. Edward sighed and glanced around again. "That's my cue."

I smiled at him. "Knock 'em dead, tiger," I told him, and kissed his cheek.

He grinned his crooked grin at me before pressing his lips to mine. "Love you, beautiful girl."

"Love you, too." He began to turn away, but I put my hand on his arm. "Oh, Edward? Do you know what the highest score at a Texas/OU game was?"

He furrowed his brow, but nodded. "Sixty-five to thirteen, Oklahoma. It was in 2003."

I slid my hand into his hair gently tugging his head to mine. I lifted up on my toes to bring my mouth close to his ear. "If you score more than sixty-five points today, I'll let you do absolutely anything you want with me."

The strangled, whimpering noise he made was completely worth it. His eyes snapped to mine, his pupils dilating to erase almost all of his irises. His hands lifted to rest on my hips, languidly pulling me flush with him. Finally breaking eye contact, he whispered softly in my ear, while his grasp moved from my waist to my ass, squeezing gently. "_Anything,_ love?"

This time, my breath caught as I processed what he was suggesting. Could I…would I? Steeling my nerves, I met his gaze. I pushed my ass back into his hands, just slightly. "_Anything_, baby," I said in a low, husky voice.

He swallowed audibly, "Fuck." He drew a shaky breath, and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Cullen!" an angry voice boomed. "Get your ass on the bus. Now!"

He jumped, visibly startled. "Right," he nodded and began backing away. He flashed me the cockiest smirk I'd ever seen. "You bet your sweet ass I'll score more than sixty-five points! Bye, baby," he called out to me, waggling his eyebrows.

I let out a slightly hysterical laugh as he turned and walked onto the bus. What the hell had I just gotten myself into?

* * *

I don't know how long I sat on one of the couches in the lobby, but I couldn't lift the fog that had fallen over me. It was only when I found myself being shaken that I came back to the world of the living.

"Bella? Bella!" Rose yelled, her hands on my shoulders.

I blinked and snapped to life, not a moment too soon. It appeared as though Alice was getting ready to slap some sense into me, literally.

"What is wrong with you?" Alice cried.

"Um, nothing. I'm fine, just…thinking about last night. Sorry, I completely zoned out, didn't I?"

Both Alice and Rose looked at me skeptically. "Whatever you say, girl," Rose murmured. "So, are you ready for breakfast?"

"Sure," I nodded, standing. "Let's go."

We drove to a local breakfast diner and once we had been seated, I took great interest in my menu, avoiding the looks I was getting from the girls. The waitress came and took our orders, bringing our coffees with her. Once she was gone, I could stall no longer.

"Alright Bella, spill. What the hell has you so totally freaked out? It's way too early for this level of lunacy," Alice demanded.

"Well, it's just that…I, ah, might have promised Edward something. Something I'm not entirely sure I can follow through with. But it's too late now. I mean, he has to do something first to get me to do this. Though, from the look on his face, he'll have no trouble holding up his end of the bargain." I was nervous and rambling, as well as slightly incoherent.

The girls simply stared at me. "Say what now?" Rose asked. "Start over and go slowly. With actual details."

"Okay. Remember last week when I threatened Edward about losing the game?" They both nodded. "Well, this week I thought I'd try a slightly different approach and give him incentive, instead."

"Go on," Alice prompted when I fell silent.

Rose sighed exasperatedly when I was quiet for too long. "What did you tell him, Bella?"

"I told him I wanted him to break the high score record for the Texas/Oklahoma game!"

"And?" they both said in unison. I blushed thinking of his reaction to what I'd offered in return.

I put my face in my hands. "And I may have gotten in over my head with my reward, but that wasn't really my fault."

"Bella, if you don't spit it the fuck out already, I'm going to throttle you," Rose threatened.

"I said I would let him do anything he wanted with me," I burst out and they both laughed loudly.

"Well, that was stupid," Alice snorted. "What would possess you to make that kind of agreement?"

"I just…I wasn't expecting…" My voice trailed off, unable to speak the words out loud.

Rose lifted one perfectly arched eyebrow, "What, exactly, is_ Edward_ 'expecting?'"

"He maybe, sort of, kind of hinted at mdhadlhdns," I mumbled against my hand.

"Bella," Alice warned.

"Fine!" I yelled, and then caught myself, lowering my voice. "Fine. He hinted at…anal sex."

I stared at their stunned expressions before they dissolved into gales of giggles.

"I'm sorry, but Bella, you should have known better than to make that kind of deal with a guy! Of course he's going to say that's what he wants," Alice shook her head in amusement. "Really, B. What else did you expect him to say?"

"I don't know," I whined. "But not that!"

"Just be happy he didn't say he wanted a threesome…or more," Rose added, looking at me like a lost little naïve girl.

I gaped at her. "He would never…Edward doesn't…no, just no." Well, _that_ thought had never crossed my mind. I wasn't really sure what I had expected Edward to want, but bringing another girl, or more, into the bedroom was definitely not something I ever would have predicted he would ask for. I felt ill just thinking about him with another woman, even if I was…included.

What if that was something he really did want? Could I do that? I did promise him anything, so that would fall into the category. So would a lot of other things I'd never contemplated before and the more I thought about the possibilities, the more I really didn't want to. I could rule-out most of them, knowing they would not hold any appeal to the Edward I knew. The few left on my list seemed like ones any red-blooded American male would go for.

"Oh, shit. Look at her," Alice said sympathetically to Rose. "She's completely over thinking this now. Poor girl will lost in her head all day."

"Perhaps we should have mercy on her. Help her out a little," Rose replied.

"Oh, shut up, both of you!" I grumbled.

After more chuckling at my expense, they finally decided to be somewhat helpful. "Okay, first, put the thought of there ever being anyone else with you two out of your head. I'm sorry I brought it up. Edward would never want it. He's way too possessive of you for that," Rose lectured.

I started to protest, but she cut me off. "I'm serious, Bella. Even if there was another girl; the boy hates when someone else looks at you, let alone touches you. He doesn't like to share, and he's so head over heels in love with you, he would never want to just be with another girl. You are it for him, girly."

"You don't know that," I argued.

"Oh, please! Anyone with eyes can see that," Alice exclaimed. "Seriously, Bells, he is hopelessly devoted to you. You are stuck with him for life." That thought made me smile like an idiot. "Now, that doesn't mean Edward wasn't serious about anal. This suggestion does seem like something he could be interested in pursuing."

I felt the blood drain from my face and I swallowed hard.

"Good thing you have us to teach you, grasshopper," Rose quipped.

"Huh?" I stared stupidly at them.

"Well, you're going to need some coaching and tips on how to do this, or it could go very, very wrong," Rose told me.

I looked between the two of them as they stared knowingly at me. "You two…have both done this before? Jeez, am I complete prude or something?"

More fucking laughter. "No, Bella," Alice reassured me. "You're just a little late to the game. I'm sure this kind of thing would have come up at some point. The good news is, you have us and we will make sure this turns out as well as it can. It can actually be quite enjoyable when done properly."

"Done properly?"

"Yes, there are better ways of having anal sex than others," Rose said matter-of-factly. "First, you need lube, lots of it. Very crucial to help ease things in as smoothly as possible. You'll get on top, right?"

"What? You mean on top during sex?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Um, yeah. I'm not opposed to different positions."

"Good," Alice chimed in. "When you first start doing this, it's usually easier for you to be on top, so you can control the pace and how deep he is. It will be a bit uncomfortable at first, but once you get used to the sensation it can be fun."

"Do you have your vibrator with you?" Rose inquired as our breakfasts were served. The waitress almost dropped my plate and I blushed horribly.

Once we were alone again, I glared at Rose. "Thanks so much for asking that right as we were getting our food. Not embarrassing at all."

"Whatever, I'm sure she's heard worse," Rose waved me off. "You didn't answer the question."

"No, I don't have my vibrator with me. Why would I bring that?" I snapped at her.

"Hey, toys are fun and can be helpful sometimes," she defended.

"Edward does not need any help, trust me."

She gave me sly grin. "Good for you. But in this case, the use of a vibrator can be very beneficial. I'm guessing you plan on paying out your end of the bargain tonight?" I nodded. "Okay, well, you or Edward will need to keep constant stimulation for you _down there_. The more relaxed you are and the more pleasurable you find it, the better the experience will be for both of you."

"Okay," I said slowly. "That shouldn't be a problem."

"Good," Alice said brightly. "If you keep in mind everything else we've told you, then I'd say just take your time when you get started, find a comfortable rhythm and everything will work out fine."

"That's it? I need lube, to be on top, clit stimulation and it's just that easy?" I was incredulous that they talked about this so flippantly and made it sound so simple.

"That's really it. Too many rules and suggestions will just complicate things. You two can see what works and what doesn't as you try it out. I have faith Edward will take care of you," Rose shrugged and went back to eating her breakfast.

* * *

Edward was certainly determined at the game. From the moment he stepped out of the tunnel from the locker rooms, his whole demeanor was focused. The only time he didn't look completely serious was when he glanced over at me. Then he would smile. His eyes sparkled mischievously when they met mine. And he looked often. Every time he scored, in fact, which was constantly. I knew my answering smiles weren't as sure, but there was something about him that instantly put me at ease. I knew no matter what happened tonight, he would never push me beyond my limits.

From the first time Texas had possession of the ball; Edward was on fire. He shot out of the pocket and raced over the goal line, making the first score of the game. Our crowd went berserk, cheering and screaming wildly. The grin Edward gave me that time was infectious, and I couldn't help but be excited for him.

My excitement was short lived as Edward returned to the sidelines and Coach stalked up to him and started screaming at him. From the gestures and look on his face, Coach was pissed and I couldn't understand why. Edward took it in stride, nodding and replying in quick bursts.

I leaned over to where Kate was sitting. "Why is Coach yelling at Edward? He just scored, why wouldn't he be happy?"

Kate looked just as bewildered, "I don't know. The only thing I can think is that he did something he wasn't supposed to do, but you'd think since it put us on the board he wouldn't be so upset."

The next time Edward took the field, he held the ball, searching the field and finally threw, as it seemed the OU players were converging on him. It arched through the air and fell into the hands of Felix, who ran over the goal line. This time when he came back to our side of the stadium, Coach slapped him on the shoulder and smiled widely at him.

From then on, Edward passed the ball every time he made a play. He was able to consistently find the receiver he wanted and ensure a perfect throw to make for a perfect catch. We didn't make a touchdown every time, but absolutely enough to run up the scoreboard. By halftime, Texas was up forty-nine to thirteen. Both Rose and Alice continuously made jokes and comments about how 'motivated' Edward seemed today. I didn't laugh.

When the team came back out, everyone was in high spirits and Edward came over to where we sat. I leaned over when he beckoned and he slid one hand into my hair, kissing me softly. "Thanks, love. I needed that."

I smiled down at him. "Always happy to kiss you. Need anything else?"

"Not right now, but for sure later tonight. I'm going to break that record."

I laughed, "I have no doubt."

He swiftly brought his lips to mine once more. "Gotta go. I love you, beautiful girl."

"I love you, too."

He jogged off, readying himself for the second half of the game. I sat back down, smiling and shaking my head slightly. That boy had the ability to dazzle me so that I couldn't think straight. Before I knew it, the third quarter was over and we had managed to gain enough points to make the score sixty-three to twenty.

At the start of the fourth, Edward and Coach got into a screaming match. I couldn't quite make out what was being said, but it looked like Edward was throwing an epic temper tantrum. I watch the interlude, concerned, but in the end it looked like they reached an understanding.

Edward threw for two more touchdowns before the coaches pulled him and put in the second string quarterback. The final score was seventy-seven to twenty, and the Texas fans couldn't have been happier. It seemed to go far in making up for last week's near loss to Kansas.

* * *

I didn't see Edward until later that night when we met up to go out to celebrate the win. The guys had all had to stay after, talking to reporters and meeting with the coaches to de-brief the game. Once they made it back to the hotel, I'd already been captured by Alice and Rose to get dressed for tonight and poor Jasper had been ordered to get ready in another room. We met the guys in the lobby and I sighed at the sight of Edward. He looked so fuckable in dark jeans that emphasized his ass and a green shirt that matched his eyes. I was wet just looking at him.

His arms encircled my waist and he kissed me hello. "You look like pure sex, Isabella," he growled in my ear. I had on jeans that were practically painted on, my knee high black boots over them, and a simple dark blue tank top with wide straps. I left my hair loose because I knew Edward preferred it that way.

"I could say the same thing about you," I whispered back. "Maybe we could skip going out and celebrate by staying in."

He made a rumbling noise, lifting me at my waist and I wrapped my legs around him. Edward took one step toward the elevator before Emmett stopped him in his tracks. "Don't even think about it, dude. You and B are coming out with us tonight. You two spend too much time holed up in your apartment as it is."

I bit my lip against a sigh and Edward gently set me down. "Don't worry, love. I'll get us back with plenty of time to make good on your end of the deal we made," He softly spoke in my ear and lightly grabbed my ass with one hand. I made a squeaking noise and he laughed.

We went to dinner and wandered around the downtown bar and club scene, until we stumbled upon a karaoke bar that Alice insisted on going into. We found a large booth for us and everyone else immediately began pouring over the book of songs on the table.

I adamantly refused to get up and sing in front of everyone, until a rather drunk and tone deaf guy sang the worst version of Lynard Skynard's, _Sweet Home Alabama_, I'd ever heard and people still cheered for him. After than, I decided I knew I could do better than that and I was here with my friends who hopefully wouldn't mock me too much. Gathering my courage, I picked a song and added my name to the list.

Emmett and Rose sang first, covering Sonny and Cher's, _I've Got You, Babe_. They totally hammed it up and had us laughing with them as they performed. After a few more songs, Alice was called up and gave us a spot on presentation of Madonna's, _Material Girl_.

Edward was the next of our group on the list and took the stage to sing Muse's, _Bliss_. He looked straight into my eyes the entire time he sang and I was practically a puddle of goo by the end. After he made his way back to our table, I straddled him, kissing him like he was the air I breathed.

"Remind me to sing Muse for you more often," he said against my lips and I ground down on his lap. Despite the grumbles from our friends, we made out like that for quite some time. I didn't notice Jasper get up to perform and ignored everything except Edward and his mouth, until I heard my name being called.

I started when I heard it over the speakers, and Edward chuckled at me. His eyes were still lust filled as he gently pushed me toward the stage. Butterflies danced in my stomach as I picked up the mic and looked out into the audience. I found Edward in the crowd and kept my eyes glued to his, his warm smile calming my nerves.

I heard the opening bars and took a deep breath as I began singing Katy Perry's, _Teenage Dream_. I'd like to say I was a total rockstar, but that wouldn't be true. I was pretty good, but not perfect, and it did take just a bit for me to loosen up enough to have fun and get into the music a little. The crowd was appreciative and encouraging throughout and the looks Edward was giving me could have made my panties combust.

This time it was his turn to jump me when I came back, and he kissed me so long and hard I was gasping for air. "Bella, you have an amazing voice. Why haven't you ever sung for me before, love?"

I blushed at his words. "I don't have that good of a voice, really. And I hate being in the spotlight."

"I think we'll have to work on that because your voice is beautiful, just like everything about you."

"Oh, gag me! Cut it out, Romeo," Rosalie teased.

Edward smiled at her good-naturedly and stood, taking me with him. "It's getting late, I think Bella and I are going to head back to the hotel. You guys have fun."

I called out my goodbyes as Edward led me out of the bar and hailed a cab for us.

* * *

Once back inside our room, Edward began pulling at my top, sliding if off and cupping my breasts. His thumbs rubbed along the thin black lace of my bra, causing my nipples to pebble beneath his touch. I moaned as he nipped his way along my neck, kissing and sucking at the exposed skin of my chest.

He laid me back across the bed, hovering his body over mine. I was lost to everything but the feel of him permeating my every sense. "Bella? Baby?" he whispered into my cleavage.

"Hmmm," I hummed in return, eyes closed as I reveled in the sensations he was causing.

Suddenly, his lips were gone and I felt him shift slightly. "Open your eyes, love." I blinked, confused and a little off guard. "I wanted to talk to you for a minute." His voice was nervous and his hands kneaded my waist anxiously.

"Okay," I said softly, my own trepidation rising.

"You know your offer from before?" he asked and I nodded. "Well, I just want you to know that you don't have to anything you aren't comfortable with, just because of that. I never want you to do feel like you're being forced into something."

"I know, Edward. I trust you. And I might be less experienced, but that doesn't mean I'm not open to trying different things. I've talked with the girls about this, and I can't say I'm not a little nervous, but I'm willing to try."

His eyes widened a little. "You talked to Rose and Alice? About what I, uh, hinted at earlier?"

"Yes, Edward," I giggled. "It was a surprise and I was processing your _suggestion _when we had breakfast this morning. They gave me some pointers to help, and to calm me down."

"Oh. See, the thing is, I kind of changed my mind about that."

"You did?"

"I started thinking about what I really wanted most, and as appealing as, well, your ass is, there's something I want more. I'm just not sure how you'll feel about it," he hesitatingly told me.

Oh, God, he did want a threesome! I felt my panic rise as I contemplated the possibility. I just didn't think I could do that. I had zero desire to be with a girl, and just the thought of him with another woman made me sick to my stomach. Who would he want? What if she was better in bed than me? For fuck's sake, of course she would be better in bed than me. What if every time he was with me after this, he was actually thinking of her instead?

"I can't have a threesome!" I burst out, scrambling up and away from him. I pulled my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around them and looking at Edward imploringly.

"What?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"I know I told you anything you wanted, but I can't. I just can't watch you with another woman. Even if I was there, I don't want to be with a girl, and I know it's every guy's fantasy, but it would kill me to see you with someone else. Please, Edward, I don't want my stupidly not-thought-out offer to ruin us, but please don't ask that of me."

He stared at me for a moment, stunned at my tirade. "Love, no! No, I'd never ask you for that!" He pulled me back into his arms, wiping at the tears I hadn't realized were falling from my eyes. "Bella, I love you. I only want to be with you. I can't imagine wanting anyone else, ever. Even at my wildest, I never wanted that. It just seems so disrespectful and degrading to the women involved. I know it sounds crass, but the guys who want that kind of thing are just in it for pussy and bragging rights." He kissed my forehead and looked into my eyes. "Bella, I want to make love to you with nothing between us."

I wrinkled my brow. "I don't understand. What do you mean "with nothing between us?" What's between us?"

"Without a condom. I know we've always used one in the past, but I've never been with anyone without it before and I know you're on the pill. I just, I want to feel you. Only you."

"Oh," I said lamely, before I let out a self-deprecating laugh. "You must think I'm insane, freaking out like that."

"Bella, stop. I'm sure when you decided to make that deal with me this morning, there were plenty of possibilities that never crossed your mind. I don't know when that one popped into your head, but trust me when I say you will never have to worry about it."

"I'm sorry, Edward. I just kind of didn't know what to make of your other possibility, and then Rose and Alice made the joke about a threesome and I sort of lost my mind, I guess."

"Bella, I love you. I'm sorry you spent your whole day freaking out about this. You know you don't have to do this kind of thing, right? I mean, having you at the games is all the motivation I need. You don't have to throw in extra incentives, love. Regardless of what you think, you are not a football curse. You're my good luck charm, for everything."

He leaned down and kissed me, sliding his tongue across mine. I sighed and leaned into him, letting him lay me back down on the bed. Clothing was shed, and hands and mouths traveled to the newly exposed skin on both of us.

"Bella," Edward panted into my neck, as I rubbed the head of his cock against my clit. I writhed beneath him, moaning at how good he felt.

"I want you, just like this," I gasped.

"Baby, are you sure? We don't have to, it's okay."

"I'm sure. You are what I want, Edward. All I'll ever want," I told him breathlessly, positioning him at my entrance.

He groaned and slipped inside me. "_Fuck, Bella." _I felt him rocking against me, and whimpered at the feel of him. I didn't think using a condom would have made such a difference, but he felt amazing.

His arms held me tight to him, his fingers at my hip digging into my skin. "So fucking incredible. God, your heat is unbelievable. My Bella, I only want you like this, just you," he mumbled, unwittingly.

"_Yes_, Edward," I sobbed, as he began thrusting in and out. "No one but you."

He growled and slammed into me, fucking me hard and fast. I felt my body responding quickly, pleasure coiling tight in my belly. He must have been able to feel it too, because his moans and words came more quickly as he moved insistently into me.

I heard my own cries of bliss growing louder and my world shattered around me as he hit that spot inside me guaranteed to make me come. "Edward!" I screamed as my body pulsed around his and ecstasy raced through me.

I heard his answering yell as he joined me, coming long and hard in warm spurts. "Oh, my God," he breathed, after collapsing onto me. "That was the single fucking best sexual experience of my life. Jesus, I never knew just how soft and wet and,_ shit_, when you came… That was fan-fucking-tastic. Damn, I want to feel you like that over and over again." He kissed me and lifted his body off of mine, pulling me close to his side.

"I never realized just how much of a difference condoms made. I could feel every contour of you and you slid so easily into me. It was unreal how good you felt inside." I rested my head on his chest, listening to the slowing of his heartbeat.

He pressed his lips to the top of my head. "I love you, Bella. So much."

I love you, too, Edward," I murmured back before sleep claimed me.

* * *

The next morning we woke lazily, showering together and dressing with stupid, silly smiles on our faces. We were packing our bags to check out and meet up with everyone, when I realized I'd forgotten to ask Edward about the game yesterday.

"Edward?" I called from the bedroom.

"Yes, love?"

"What happened with you and Coach yesterday? You two seemed to get into it quite a bit."

I walked out into the living room and caught his sheepish smile. "Oh, that. Well, the first time was because I ran the ball in. We've been working on my passing game and a couple new plays to debut for this game. Coach was a little pissed that I didn't use them. But I had to show off just a little for my girl." He grinned at me and pulled me into his lap.

"Okay, so what about the second time? That one seemed like a pretty big shit fit on your part," I teased and bit my lip.

He blushed. Edward actually _blushed._ It was adorable. "Oh. Uh, that was because Coach wanted to pull me before I broke the record. We were up ahead enough Coach didn't want to take the risk of me getting hurt, and it's a good opportunity to put in the second string to give him some playing time. I couldn't exactly tell him the real reason why I didn't want to get yanked before I could score another touchdown or two. No way I was going to have you backing out of the deal because I wasn't personally responsible for breaking the record and I couldn't guarantee the second string would even score. So, I just threw a fit to get my way." He shrugged.

Alice called to tell us they were all waiting downstairs and where the fuck were we, and we finally made our way to the lobby. As we approached our group, I turned to Edward. "Are you ready for the longest trip back to Austin, ever? We promised Alice we would stop by the Galleria on the way home."

He let out a loud groan and I laughed all the way to the car, pulling him behind me.

* * *

**Okay, so I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. I know not everyone was happy with the last one and I'm sorry for that. I know there wasn't a lot of plot development last time, but that was how the story wanted to be written.**

**Again, I'm so, so sorry for being late in updating the past few chapters. I do have a legit excuse - I'm pregnant! This is my first time being pregnant, and the first trimester has been kicking my ass. I'm exhausted and have been puking for 6 weeks straight. Not exactly conducive to writing. Thank God for medicine, I'm finally doing better. I will desperately try to get back to updating weekly. And I will reply to reviews with teasers for the next chapter. Speaking of, it will get just a little angsty - but not too much I swear!**

**I was nominated for a couple Inspired Fan Fic Awards which made me squeal like a twelve year old girl. We'll see if I get past the first round of voting, I'll let you know if I do. :o) Thanks to jemster23 and anyone else who nominated me and everyone who might have voted for me!**

**THANK YOU to everyone who has reviewed/alerted/added my story! Every single one of them makes me happy!  
**


	15. Chapter 15

**I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I am supremely late in updating... Every time I think I'm feeling better, I spend the next three days puking. It sucks, but think of it as my punishment for not updating regularly! Oh, and I'm super apologetic to the few reviews I didn't get a chance to respond to. It was either respond or write the chapter, but I still feel horrible! Plus, some of the delay isn't my fault, I've been trying and fucking ffn wouldn't let me edit and update my stories. I've been trying for days and days and days. I'm finally able to update and I'm going to go ahead and post before it fucks up again.  
**

**As always, a huge, giant, massive THANK YOU to my wonderful betas, A Letter To No One and darlingsalia! I love you both dearly! Thank you to everyone reading/reviewing/rec'ing this story! It makes me so very happy! A very special thank you to amoredjenaue for rec'ing my story on her blog! I now have over 600 reviews, which is mind-blowing! Seriously, I can't tell you how much I love each and every one of you!  
**

**Okay, like I said last time, this gets a little angsty. All will be okay, this was the main conflict I had planned from the beginning. Deep breaths, and really, it's not that bad. :o)**

**I don't own anything recognizable, like Twilight or Trudy's Mexican Restaurant. I can't even eat Mexican food right now, which makes me super sad.  
**

* * *

The next few weeks passed in a blur of Edward, classes, studying, Edward, football games, and, of course, Edward; and before I knew it, it was the end of October. Luckily we had continued to win all of our games, and our chances of ending up in the National Championship were looking better and better, and Edward had a great shot at the Heisman.

Parents' Weekend was fast approaching and my dad had suddenly decided he needed to come out. Edward's parents were arriving mid-week, while my father was flying in Friday morning. We were all having dinner together that night.

I was definitely more than a little nervous. By the time Wednesday morning rolled around, I was a wreck. I tried not to let Edward notice, but he did anyway. He was sweet and reassuring, but it didn't help. I'd only met his parents once, and while they seemed nice, a background check had also been run on me. I was still in the dark on that one.

I made it through my Wednesday morning classes and made my way back to Edward's apartment, meeting up with him for lunch. I used the key he'd given me, and refused to take back, to let myself in.

"Edward?" I called out, hearing what I thought was his voice coming from the bedroom. I was about to pull my key out from the door when I looked over to see his parents round the corner. I froze, my hand still on the lock.

"Bella, how lovely to see you," Esme exclaimed, smiling widely.

"Hello, Mrs. Cullen," I said shyly, finally pulling my key out of the door and shutting it.

"Oh, you know to call us Esme and Carlisle. No reason to be so formal." She pulled me into a hug.

"Sorry, Esme," I mumbled and glanced over at Edward's dad. "Hello, Carlisle."

"Hi, Bella. It's good to see you again," he answered, smiling affectionately.

"I didn't know you two would be here so early; I thought Edward said your flight came in later."

"We were, but we were able to catch an earlier flight. I sent Edward a text letting him know. We were just checking out how things were looking in the apartment. See if we needed to do any maintenance while we're here, since we are technically the landlords," Carlisle joked.

I widened my eyes slightly as I processed this information. Edward didn't rent this place; his parents owned it. Holy crap. Then I internally cringed, thinking about the state of the bedroom and how much of my stuff they would have seen lying around. I knew the bed looked like two people had just been having wild sex in it, mainly because we did have wild sex that morning. I was hoping to have a few minutes to straighten things up before they arrived. So much for that.

And my things were slowly but surely accumulating around here. Edward was more than happy to make room for me to leave some clothes and other everyday items in the bed and bathroom so I could stay over every night. I couldn't remember the last time I'd actually slept in my own bed. Not that I minded, but I had no idea what his parents would think about me shacking up with their son. In an apartment they apparently owned.

I was startled out of my thoughts by the sounds of the door opening again and was greeted with the sight of Edward. He smiled at his parents and me, hugging them and then coming over to kiss my cheek.

"Sorry I wasn't here to meet you guys," he told them. "My class let out later than I expected."

"That's no problem, honey. Your dad and I were just checking to make sure everything was still working well, and it gave us a couple minutes to chat with Bella." Esme smiled at both of us. "Do you two have time for lunch?"

"Sure, I've got time for that. Bella?"

I nodded. "Yeah, my next class isn't until two."

* * *

We went to Trudy's, a well-known local Mexican restaurant chain, and much as I wanted one of their Mexican Martini's, I decided it wasn't the best idea to get trashed in front of Edward's parents.

Lunch seemed to go well; his parents were interested in knowing how the search for an agent was going and how he was feeling about the season so far. They also asked me more about myself, interested in what I planned on doing after graduation and what grad schools I was thinking about. They seemed pleased when I mentioned Northwestern, and I couldn't help but notice the huge grin on Edward's face.

Toward the end of lunch, Edward received a phone call from one of the offensive line coaches and stepped out to the lobby to hear more easily.

"Bella?" Esme asked, as I took a sip of my soda. I shifted my gaze to her. "Did Edward ever say anything to you about the background check we asked our lawyer to do on you?"

I almost choked on my Coke. "Um, no," I stammered. "H-he didn't mention it."

She nodded. "Good. I'd asked him not to, even though I know you were aware of it. I wanted to be able to explain for myself."

"Okay," I said softly, when she paused.

She took a deep breath. "I know we met you at the football game earlier this year, and I want you to know, nothing you did there raised any flags for us. You seemed very sweet and genuine. It didn't look like you figured out we were Edward's parents, but you have to understand, there are some very talented and cunning actresses out there.

"Our son is rather well-known on campus and has had his fair share of women making him offers I shudder to think about. It's not often he takes more than a fleeting interest in a girl, so when he started talking about you, I knew you were special. I'm not sure if Edward has told you, but the Cullens are also a prominent family in Chicago. They started out in the steel business in World War II, and while we're no longer in that business, the family is still very well-off and known in certain social circles."

I sort of stared at the two of them, my mind running with a thousand thoughts a minute. Edward had certainly done a good job of hiding his family's money from me. It didn't really matter, but it would have been nice to not be sideswiped by all of this information.

I just nodded, unsure of what to say.

Esme reached over and covered my hand with hers, squeezing gently. "Our son is very important to us, Bella. This family background is not hard to find out, so anyone who gets close to our son…well, we're never completely sure of their motives. I am sorry that you found out about the background check we ran on you, but you have to know it was only in the best interest of our son. We have to protect him, any way we can. We even ran one on Emmett and Jasper, not that either of them, or Edward, knows that. It really was merely a precaution. Does that make sense?"

"I do understand about wanting to protect Edward. He's your son and I can see why you'd want to do that. I hope nothing came up to make you doubt my motivation for being with him."

"Oh, no! Bella, honey, you are a parent's dream! Everything that came up showed you were an upstanding young woman. Every time we talk to Edward, or one of the other boys, they have nothing but glowing things to say about you. Sweetie, you have been so good for him. I can tell in how much more focused he is with his schoolwork and on the field. You bring out the very best in him."

"That's very true," Carlisle jumped in. "Even just here at lunch, I can see a side of Edward he's never shown before. He truly loves you, and is doing everything he can to make sure you are happy. He wants to give you anything you want, so he's determined to not mess up in any aspect of his life to ensure that."

I blushed at their words, ridiculously happy by them, but also embarrassed by their praise. "I would do anything for him, too. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me. He's very easy to love," I said quietly, and flushed again at their bright smiles.

I felt Edward behind me as he returned, and he kissed the top of my head. "You're pretty easy to love, too," he whispered as he sat. I felt my cheeks flame all over again and ducked my hair forward as he chuckled at me. "So easy to make you blush," he teased and I kicked at him, under the table. "Sorry about that, did I miss anything?"

"No, we were just chatting with Bella," his mother smoothly covered, winking at me. I couldn't help but grin back at her, they obviously liked me, and for that I was truly grateful. I didn't know if I would have stood a chance if his parents hadn't approved.

"Your return flight isn't until Sunday evening, right?" I asked as we were walking back to the car. Both Carlisle and Esme nodded. "Esme, um, do you have plans for Sunday morning?"

"Nothing I can recall. Why do you ask?"

"Well, there's this, uh, mother-daughter brunch thing at my sorority house that morning, and I, well, I wasn't planning on going, but…would you want to go with me?"

She beamed at me, turning to hug me tightly. "Of course, I would. That sounds wonderful, Bella. Thank you for inviting me."

I smiled back, truly excited to finally have someone to go with me to one of the many sorority mother-daughter sorority events we held each year. Edward's grin was infectious as he squeezed my hand once his mother released me. He pulled me against his side, whispering into my hair that he loved me.

* * *

On Thursday afternoon, Edward and I walked over to my sorority house to drop off my books before heading back to his apartment to have a quiet dinner with his parents. They were staying at hotel, but his mother wanted to cook for him while she was here.

We walked in, hand in hand, and I started to head up the stairs when Jessica's voice stopped me.

"Hey, Bella? Your, uh, mom is here?" she half told-half asked me. Her face was total confusion, which was understandable since I'd told everyone I didn't have a mother.

"What?" I asked blankly. Edward turned to me, stunned.

"There's my baby girl!" an obnoxiously high-pitched voice called out and a blur of a woman approached. She grabbed me and hugged me hard, while I squirmed to get out of her grasp. I pulled away roughly. I was finally able to take a good look at this woman and was floored to realize she actually _was_ my mother.

"Renee?" I said incredulously.

"Oh, Bella," she scoffed, "you know better than to call me that. Silly girl." She turned her predatory smile toward where Edward stood, looking like a deer caught in headlights. "You must be the famous Edward Cullen," she purred. "Quarterback for the football team _and_ my little girl's boyfriend! I've seen her cheering you on at the games. The camera certainly does love you. I'm Renee Higginbotham, Bella's mother." She extended her hand to him and I practically threw myself between them. There was no way I wanted Edward anywhere near my so-called mother.

"Edward has to go. He's late. For a meeting." I began pushing him back toward the door, and while he looked surprised and a little flustered, he let me walk him backwards. I yanked it open and quickly stepped outside with him, slamming the door shut.

"Bella, what-"

"I'm sorry, I just…I don't want her anywhere near you. I had no idea she even knew where I was, let alone that she would simply show up unannounced. I need to talk to her and figure out why she's here, but please, I need to do this on my own, okay?"

He brushed his hand along my cheek. "Anything you want, beautiful girl. You're sure you're going to be okay? You don't want me to stay just for moral support?"

"No, no, I'll be fine. I'll call you later, promise." I lifted up on my toes to kiss him and turned to head back inside. I glanced over my shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he smiled.

I ducked back inside, seeing my mother waiting with a fake smile plastered across her face. "My, my. That is one _very_ good-looking boy you have there. Now, why would you run him off so quickly? I didn't even have the chance to properly meet your boyfriend," she chastised teasingly.

"Oh, cut the crap, Renee. What are you doing here?" I growled.

"That is no way to speak to your mother! I raised you better than that."

"You didn't raise me! You left me when I was ten; my father raised me. Not you. Now, what do you want?" I yelled.

She looked at a loss for words for a moment, the collected herself. "Fine, Isabella. I saw you on TV with that boy and thought I could come and give you a few pointers on making sure you keep him. Or at least get what you deserve from him."

My eyes were wide as saucers. "What? You lost your current boy-toy and sugar daddy, so now you want in on mine? Is that it? That's_ not_ what this is! Edward and I have a real relationship. We actually have true feelings for each other and if it works out, fantastic. If not, then that's how it goes. I'm not looking to trap him into anything!"

She sighed and gave me a pitying look. "Sweetie, listen. Right now you're young with the whole world at your feet. Trust me, in ten years, he will have long since traded you in for a newer model and no one will give you the time of day. You'll just be another aging woman, struggling to make ends meet. I'm just suggesting that a well-timed pregnancy scare with a quickie marriage could be very advantageous for you. You do realize his family is loaded, too. You could do so much better than I ever have."

My stomach churned. "You really think I'd do something like that? Trick him into marrying me? God, you are sick. Get out. Get out, and I don't ever want to see or hear from you again. Never!" I strode over to the door, jerking it open and glaring at her.

"Bella," she began, but I cut her off.

"Get out," I snarled in a low, menacing voice. She sighed again and walked to the door.

"You could do much worse with your choice of boyfriend. You don't know how good you have it right now. Goodbye, Bella," she murmured as she passed. I slammed the door shut and stormed up to my room. I flopped down on my bed and began crying angrily. I was furious at her for even suggesting I was capable of such a thing, and I was even more mad at myself for letting her get to me like this. She didn't deserve my tears. She'd left me eleven years ago, and I'd vowed she would never hold any kind of power over me again. Eventually, I fell asleep, waking a few hours later to my phone ringing.

I fumbled around in my backpack to find it, answering just before it went to voicemail.

"Bella?" Edward's worried voice floated out to me.

"Hey, sorry I didn't call you sooner. I fell asleep."

"Baby, are you okay?"

I smiled at his concern. "I'm okay, I just have a headache. I don't think I'm going to make it for dinner. I'm really sorry."

"That's okay, love. Are you sure you're all right? I could come over."

"No, you should hang out with your parents. I'll be fine, really. I'll take some Tylenol or something."

"Will you still come over later?"

"Of course. I don't think I could sleep through the night in my own bed if I was paid a million dollars. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay, baby. You know I love you, right?"

"I know. I love you, too. Bye, sweetheart."

"Bye, beautiful girl."

* * *

Later that night, Rose was heading back to her apartment and I hitched a ride to Edward's. I made my way up to his apartment and, instead of just going in, I knocked. I hadn't called before coming over, so I wasn't entirely certain what he was up to.

Edward opened the door and I collapsed into his arms. I felt him pull them around me, holding me tightly. I pressed my face into his neck, inhaling his delicious scent. He shifted one hand to cup under my chin and tilted my face to his.

His brows were down and concern filed his eyes. "You've been crying, love. What happened? Are you really okay?"

"I don't want to get into it, but just suffice it to say that she proved I am not her daughter. I'm kind of exhausted, can we just go to bed?" I asked him in a small voice.

He simply nodded and took my hand, leading me back to the bedroom. Slowly, we undressed and climbed into bed, Edward wrapping around me. He kissed my ear and whispered, "I love you, Bella."

I twisted to be able to kiss his jaw and whispered, "I love you, too, Edward."

I skipped my class the next morning, instead turning to Edward in need of him. I wanted to lose myself in the feel of his body against mine, inside mine. To taste him and hear his moans and sighs of satisfaction.

I straddled him, kissing along his neck and jaw. I pressed my wetness against his morning erection and was rewarded with a soft groan of pleasure from him. His hands came up to grip my hips tightly, and I whimpered as I raised myself up and slid down onto him.

I began riding him in earnest, rising up his length and slamming back down, needing to feel him deep inside. Edward moaned, but grasped my hips, preventing me from moving. I let out a sound of protest and his still sleepy eyes found mine.

He shifted one hand up to cup my cheek and jaw, gently tugging me down to kiss him. His tongue swept across mine softly as he languidly kissed me senseless. His other hand still held me immobile, and I quietly vocalized my dissent.

Finally, I raised my mouth from his. "Love me, Edward," I begged, wiggling my hips futilely.

He rolled us over, laying me onto my back. He lightly kissed along the shell of my ear, finding the spot just behind it that drove me crazy. "I do love you, Bella. Like no other," he breathed and pushed inside me. We both moaned as we began to move together, joined as one.

* * *

I was nervous for dinner that night; my dad and I had spent some time wandering around campus that afternoon and we were now waiting for Edward and his parents to join us at the restaurant. A few minutes after we arrived, they walked in. I smiled and introductions were made just before we were seated.

I noticed Edward looked a little anxious and I took his hand in mine under the table. "You look a little uneasy. Everything alright?" I asked him quietly. He just nodded and smiled tightly at me, and I decided it was probably just due to the fact that my father was here.

The waiter came around to take our drink orders when I heard a voice I'd hoped in vain to never hear again.

"Well, there you all are!" my mother's obnoxious voice sounded, and I looked up sharply to see her headed straight for our table. I froze, absolutely horrified to see her again. I heard my dad's intake of breath as he recognized her.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped, my voice cold and hard. I saw both Esme and Carlisle turn to see what the commotion was.

"I happen to be invited to this little dinner out, Isabella," she haughtily answered.

I turned to my father, disbelieving. "Dad?"

"I-I…Renee?" he stammered.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Esme interjected.

"I'm Renee Higginbotham, Bella's mother," she stated, holding out her hand. "You two must be this gorgeous young man's parents." She winked at Edward, who looked visibly sick.

I stood up abruptly. "You aren't my mother, and who the fuck invited you?"

"Isabella!" my father reprimanded, but I ignored everyone else at the table except her.

"Your very sweet boyfriend invited me, that's who," she smirked.

My head whipped in his direction and I could see the awful truth written all over his face. "Edward?" I choked out.

"Bella, I-"

"Why? Why would you invite her? You know how I feel about her."

"I just thought that if you had a chance to sit down and talk to her, in a more relaxed atmosphere, you might be able to work out some of the issues between the two of you." He clutched my hand, eyes pleading with me to understand.

"God, what line of bullshit did she feed you? I will never have a relationship with this woman. She's a gold-digging whore looking for the next man to prey on."

"Baby, I think if you just heard her out-"

I yanked my hand from his. "Heard her out? I did hear her out! At my house the other day, when she told me to fake getting pregnant to trap you into marrying me so I could get access to your family's money. Did she mention that when you invited her here tonight?" I glared across the table, not caring that I was making a scene. "You stay and have dinner, since it seems you were invited. I'm leaving." I glanced at my dad. "I'm sorry about this, Dad."

I turned and stormed out of the restaurant, ignoring Edward calling after me. I walked out and asked the doorman to hail me a cab. Edward burst out of the doors, grabbing my shoulders. I spun around, flinging his hands off.

"Don't touch me! I can't believe you would do this, Edward. That you would betray me like this. You knew how I felt about her!" I yelled.

He looked stricken, "Bella, _please_? Please, let me explain. I know I fucked up, but don't shut me out, baby."

"Don't you dare call me _'baby!'_ How could you?"

"She found me after class this morning and told how much she missed you. She went on and on about how much she wanted to repair your relationship and be a part of your life. She cried, Bella." He ran his fingers through his hair agitatedly. "I really just thought if you two could sit down, in a more mediated setting, you might be able to work out your relationship. Or at least start to."

"I can't believe you fell for her crap! I told you about her, Edward. I told you that all she does is go from guy to guy, looking for whomever can give her more money. She doesn't care about me, she only cares about what she can get from me."

I turned to get into the cab that was now waiting for me. He reached out and grasped my hand. "Bella, at least let me drive you home. It's not safe for you to take a cab by yourself."

I shook him off. "For fuck's sake, I'm not a child! I have mace in my purse, and I do know self-defense. I'll be fine, Edward."

"Bella, please, don't go like this," he begged.

I shook my head softly, avoiding looking at him. "I just…can't right now. I need some time." With that, I ducked into the cab, and gave the driver the address for my sorority house.

* * *

**See? Not that bad, right? I mean, it's not like B found E in bed with another girl or something. And before I get a thousand reviews yelling at me for breaking them up - I'm stating for the record, they are NOT broken up. She's mad and needs a little time and space, but this isn't a _Friends_ episode where they are "on a break."  
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**Just keep telling yourself "Light and fluffy." I'll do my absolute best to send out teasers to reviews and will post the next chapter as soon as I finish it (only one more section to write) and have it back from my betas. I won't leave you hanging for very long...hopefully. That's my plan, and I'll be absolutely disgusted with myself if I can't keep it. Seriously, I'll post as soon as possible. Promise.  
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	16. Chapter 16

**You all better be grateful my airport has free wifi and I can update my story before I leave for the weekend. Thanks to everyone for continued encouragement with the baby and all the fun 'features' that come along with pregnancy. Felt the baby move this week, which was pretty awesome.  
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**As always, I must say how eternally grateful I am to my betas, darlingsalia and A Letter To No One, who make my story shiny and pretty and coherent. I love them both more than I can say!**

**THANK YOU to everyone who read/reviewed/alerted/rec'd this story. I cannot tell you how blown away I am by the response to this story. You guys kick serious ass! I think I was able to send replies and teasers to everyone this time around. I'm sorry if I missed anyone!  
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**Here we go, heading back to the light and fluffy! More at the bottom (duh, when am I ever not chatty?) :o)  
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* * *

I made it back to my sorority house, sending my dad a quick text to let him know. My phone immediately beeped to let me know I had a new message.

**I'm sorrier than I can say, Bella. Please talk to me. I love you more than anything. -E**

I sighed and debated answering back. I bit my lip, finally composing a reply.

**I need time to calm down. I love you. –B**

After sending the text I turned off my phone and quickly changed for bed. It was still early so I made Ramen, popped in a mindless movie, and curled up on my bed. Two hours and the start of another movie later, there was a soft knock on my door.

"Come in," I called. My door swung open and Angela walked in carrying a small white box with a blue bow around it.

"Someone sent you Tiff's Treats!" she announced, smiling. I frowned and waved her closer. I hadn't even noticed the doorbell. She sat on my bed, handing the package to me. I pulled out the card under the ribbon and flipped it open.

_I must tell you I've been the most unmitigated and comprehensive ass._

_ I love you always, Edward_

I had to laugh, he had obviously watched, rather than read, _Pride and Prejudice_. My heart warmed at the gesture and I sighed.

"So…" Angela started hesitantly. "Why are you here tonight? I mean, not that it's a bad thing! I've missed hanging out with you, but you usually stay with Edward."

"Yeah, we had a fight tonight. It'll be fine, I just…need time to cool off." I shrugged and opened the box. The smell of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies wafted toward me. I held out the box, smiling, "Want a cookie?"

She smiled back and grabbed one. Between the two of us we finished off a dozen of the three-dozen in the box while we talked and watched the movie. Eventually, we both started yawning and Angela went back to her room while I snuggled down into my hard, single bed and wondered how I ever slept here before. I tossed and turned for a few hours before finally falling into a fitful asleep.

* * *

I met my dad for breakfast the next morning, before the game. He picked me up and we made our way to the Kirby Café. It was an Austin institution and I had been craving their _migas_ all week. Once we were settled at our table and had placed our orders, he turned and gave me "the look." Yeah, that one. The cop interrogation look.

I sighed heavily, "Okay, Dad. Let's have it. What do you want to know?"

He chuckled at me, shaking his head. "Bella, I just want to know if you're okay? I know last night was a surprise, for all of us, and it couldn't have been easy seeing your mother again."

"She's not my mother." I scowled at him and he did the same to me.

"Like it or not, Isabella, she _is_ your mother. Now, I know you're mad that she left, and I don't know what happened between the two of you when she showed up here, but you can rest assured she won't be contacting you again."

"Thank you, Dad," I said softly.

"Don't thank me, thank Edward. Once he realized the mistake he made in inviting your mother, he had her out of there faster than you could blink. He also made it very clear that if she contacted you again, she would deal with him and his lawyer. Which I know isn't realistic, but she doesn't."

"Edward did that?"

"He did, honey. The boy was a mess last night. I think his dad stayed at his place to make sure he didn't show up on your doorstep in the middle of the night. He just kept mumbling about how much he loves you and that he can't lose you. The kid is crazy about you, Bells."

I felt tears sting the backs of my eyes and blinked them away. "I know he is, Dad. I'm crazy about him, too. I understand his heart was in the right place when he invited her, but I was really upset by it. We'll work things out; I just needed a little time to calm down. I'll talk to him today, after the game. I don't want to mess with his concentration before."

"That's probably for the best. Just make sure you don't wait too long, the boy is in enough misery as it is." He paused and cleared his throat awkwardly. "He's, uh, he's a good kid. Young man, I guess I should say. I like him."

"Thanks, Dad. That means a lot to me, knowing that you like him," I answered softly, ducking my head to hide my smile.

My dad reached out and grasped my hand. "He's going to screw up every now and then, Bells. So will you; everybody does. As long as he makes it right, that's okay. But if he hurts you, really, truly hurts you, I _will_ be the first call you make and I _will_ make it right."

This time I looked at him when I smiled softly. "Thanks, Daddy. I know you're always there for me."

"Of course I am, you're my baby girl, Bella. You're the best thing that ever happened to me." This time I couldn't stop the tears and I brushed them away. The only thing that saved me was the discomfort and slight look of terror that crossed my dad's face. "Aw, hell, Bella. I didn't mean to make you cry."

"I know, Dad," I laughed, still amused by his expression.

* * *

I was happy and upbeat when we arrived at the game that afternoon. I quickly navigated the stadium, leading my dad to our seats. They weren't quite as close as my normal seat, but still near enough to be able to clearly see the guys on the sidelines. Suddenly, I felt my stomach twist into anxious knots as I spotted Edward's parents.

"Hello, Esme and Carlisle," I said nervously.

They both gave me guarded smiles before greeting my dad and me. My dad and Carlisle began chatting, while Esme leaned closer to me. "How are you doing, sweetheart? Are you feeling better?"

I blushed, embarrassed about how I had acted last night. "I'm fine, now. I just needed a little time to cool off. I know Edward had only good intentions when he acted, but it took me a little while to realize that. And, of course, I hope he realizes never to do something like that again," I joked.

She smiled, putting her arm around my shoulders. "I'm sure he has, but don't let him off too easily. My son is spoiled enough, it'd be good for him to have to work for this a little."

I laughed, "I'll see what I can do, but I can't exactly be too hard on him. He didn't know what my mother said to me, I never told him. I think Edward just thought he was trying to repair a relationship damaged by her leaving. He knew that was still something I hadn't quite gotten over and, misguided as it was, I'm pretty sure he just wanted to help with that. Give me closure or something."

She squeezed a little tighter around my shoulders. "Bella, I know this is hard to convince yourself of, but you have to know that her leaving had nothing to do with you. As a mother, I know that there is nothing a child can do to make their parents not love them. I can't say why she left, but it was all her, and nothing you did or didn't do would have changed that."

"Thanks, Esme. You're right though; it's hard to make myself believe that."

"One day you will, I'll make sure of that." She hugged me. "I'm just so glad you and Edward found each other. You two are a wonderful match, reminds me of Carlisle and myself."

I blushed as I sat back and she laughed softly. Thankfully, we were distracted by the team entering the field. Everyone cheered and I nervously looked for Edward. I saw him scanning the stands, searching for us. His eyes found our group and he grinned at his parents and my dad before looking at me. His smile became tentative as his eyes met mine and I returned his look, giving him a small wave. He looked like he wanted to say something, and I started to move to the stairs, but he was called over to the sidelines.

It made me sad that I hadn't had the chance to even wish him good luck, and I was more miserable as it became apparent that Edward needed all the luck he could get. His moves were sloppy and disjointed; everything he did just seemed off. Even I could tell, and that was saying something. By the end of the first half, Edward had thrown two interceptions, I'd lost count of how many incomplete passes, and only scored once. We were playing Kansas State, and based on how our year was going, it had been predicted to be a blowout.

I could see the frustration and anger on his face as he began stalking toward the locker room, as well as everyone around me who was shooting me dirty looks. I growled in vexation. This was going to be placed solely on my shoulders when it came time to blame someone. I spent the next twenty minutes in agony, watching the time slowly tick by until the teams returned and trying to ignore the death looks being sent my way.

When the team came back out, I raced down the steps to the rail, hoping Edward would look in my direction. I saw him look up to where our seats were and his face fell a little. He swept his eyes down slowly, eyebrows lifting slightly when he finally spotted me at the rail. He jogged over to me with a hesitant expression.

"Bella?" he softly spoke.

I twitched my fingers resting on the rail and he raised one hand to cover mine. I flipped my hand over to grasp his, loving the electric thrill that ran through my arm at his touch. I bent so I could be closer to him.

"Edward, this pro football thing isn't going to work if your playing goes to hell every time we have a fight. All couples argue occasionally, I'm sure this won't be the last. And you know what will happen if you can't get your head in the game, I will be blamed for your decreased performance." I smiled playfully at him, "You promised I wasn't a football curse, baby."

"Bella," he whispered again, more urgently this time. He reached up with his free hand and cupped the nape of my neck, lightly tugging me down. He captured my lips with his, pressing them heatedly to mine and sliding his tongue between. I moaned faintly, tangling my tongue with his for an all too brief moment, before pulling back. I smiled ruefully at him.

"Later, sweetheart. You have a game to win first."

He smiled back at me, dropping his hand from my head. "I love you, Bella," he said seriously.

"I love you, too. Just because I got mad at you doesn't mean I stopped loving you."  
I leaned in to brush my lips to his once more before he had to head back onto the field.

I made my way back up the stairs, ignoring the hostile stares as much as I could. I watched nervously as the teams took the field and the game commenced again. Thankfully my fears were unfounded, as Edward seemed able to pull his focus back and perform at his usual standards. I sighed in relief as Edward was able to score within the first two minutes of the second half and it only improved from there. By the end of the game, Texas has scored four more times and our defense had held Kansas State to only one touchdown. The crowd was ecstatic when it was over and I finally stopped receiving death stares.

* * *

After the game, I went by my place to quickly change clothes before my dad picked me up to meet Edward and his parents for dinner. We had decided to try it again. We walked into the restaurant, spotting the three of them waiting for us with the hostess. I hugged Esme and said hello to Carlisle before walking over to where Edward stood, anxiously awaiting my next move.

I reached up, twining my arms around his neck and hugging tightly. "Hi," I whispered in his ear. He brought his arms around my waist in a vice-like grip and buried his face in my hair.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I-"

"Hey, we'll talk about it later, okay? Right now, let's just enjoy dinner."

I pulled back slightly to look into his green eyes that still looked a little troubled and ran a hand through his hair. After kissing his cheek, I stepped back and took his hand in mine so we could follow the hostess to our table.

Dinner went really well, with my dad and Edward's parents getting along great. Conversation flowed easily between us all, and it was a relief to know there didn't seem to be any reason to believe our families wouldn't blend well together. At which point I derailed my thoughts from that track. I did not need to start imagining family holidays together with little bronze haired babies running around the Christmas tree.

All throughout the meal, Edward continuously found ways to keep some kind of physical contact with me. Whether he was holding my hand, or playing with the ends of my hair, or tracing random patterns on my knee and thigh. That was my personal favorite, especially when he would forget himself and run his fingertips along the inside of my thigh, under my skirt. I wanted to beg him to go higher, hell, I wanted to straddle his lap and take him in the middle of the restaurant, but I knew I just needed to be patient. I could tell from his nervous glances that he was still unsure of how things stood between us, not knowing how mad I really was.

I knew we needed to talk about what had happened, but I also knew I was definitely not willing to give up what we had together. I was too much in love with Edward to let him go. If things ever ended between us, it would be him leaving because I was certain I never could. By the time dinner and dessert was finished, I couldn't wait to head back to Edward's place to finally be able to talk with him alone and make-up for not spending last night together.

We walked back up to the front and our little group began saying goodbye. After my dad had shaken hands with Carlisle and kissed Esme on the cheek, he turned to me. "You ready to go, Bells? I should head back to my hotel, my flight leaves pretty early tomorrow morning."

Well…shit. Of course my dad thought he was dropping me off at my sorority house, that's technically where I lived. I'm sure he wasn't completely blind to the fact that Edward and I had some kind of physical relationship, but he obviously didn't want to believe I was staying the night with him. Or didn't want it shoved in his face.

"Oh, um, yeah, Dad. Thanks, that sounds good," I replied, faking a smile. I turned to Edward, who had a resigned look in his eyes. He pulled me close, hugging me. I put my arms around his neck, pressing my face into him.

"We'll talk soon? Please?" he whispered and looked down at me.

I moved one hand to his cheek. "Yes, I promise." I brushed my lips across his, wanting more but knowing we had an audience. "I love you."

I felt some of the tension leave his shoulders and saw the relief in his eyes. "I love you, too, Bella."

He squeezed me one last time before letting go and I walked out with my dad.

* * *

The ride back was quick, with my dad making idle chitchat mostly. I felt a little guilty that I wasn't more engaged in the conversation, especially since he was leaving first thing in the morning. My mind was still on Edward and how I was going to get over to his place that night. I thought about walking, but knew Edward wouldn't be happy about me doing that alone at night. I wasn't sure what his plans were for the evening, so I figured I'd wait a little while and then call him to see what was going on.

We reached my house and my dad walked me to the door. I hugged him hard, feeling tears prick my eyes at having to say good-bye. He kissed my cheek and I told him I would see him at Thanksgiving and made him promise to call when he made it home tomorrow.

I went upstairs to my room and began playing the waiting game. I didn't have any idea how much time to give Edward with his parents. I paced around my room a little, and then tried to distract myself by going on Facebook to see what was new there. After about thirty minutes I grabbed my phone and was about to call when I heard the doorbell ring. I started downstairs, listening to one of the girls open the door. She called up for me and I quickened my pace, hoping to see Edward in the foyer.

I drew up short when I saw his parents instead. "Hi," I said nervously, my eyes darting between the two of them.

They both smiled and Carlisle spoke. "I understand you don't have a car here, and we were on our way from dropping Edward off, and thought you might need a lift in case there was anywhere you wanted to go?"

I couldn't stop the grin that spread across my face. This was their not-so-subtle way of offering me a ride to Edward's place without coming right out and saying it. "That would be great, thank you," I replied gratefully.

"Did you need to bring anything with you?" Esme asked, and I blushed slightly.

"Um, actually I might just grab a couple things…" I let my voice trail off and made a hasty retreat back up the stairs to throw a few items into a bag. I didn't need much since I had already left a number of my things at his apartment. I also picked up the box of cookies he'd sent me last night, hoping I could use them as a peace offering.

I practically ran back down the stairs and followed Esme and Carlisle to their rental car. It was a short drive to Edward's and I was fidgeting in anticipation by the time we arrived. "Thank you both for the ride. I really appreciate it," I told them softly and they both smiled in return.

"It's our pleasure, sweetheart," Esme answered, obviously happy to give Edward and I the opportunity to clear the air between us.

"Will I see you tomorrow, Esme?" My voice was hesitant as I asked, unsure of if she would still want to attend the mother-daughter brunch at my sorority.

"Of course, Bella. I'm very much looking forward to it." We both smiled at each other and I said thank you one last time before ducking out of the car and making my way up to Edward's apartment.

I opted to knock instead of using my key since I hadn't thought to ask his parents if he was expecting me. I heard him sigh heavily as the door opened and he froze when he saw me in the doorway. "Bella," he said in a surprised voice.

I held out the white box in front of me, "Cookie?"

Edward pulled the box from my hand and tossed it on the small table in the entryway before yanking me into his arms. He held me close for a few moments and then stepped back. He took in the bag I had on my shoulder and looked into my eyes. "You're staying tonight?"

I raised a hand to tuck my hair behind one ear. "If that's okay with you?" I let out a tiny shriek as he scooped me up and walked us back to his bedroom.

He laid me on the bed and lowered himself down next to me. "Baby, I always want you here." He stroked my hair back from my face with one hand and I leaned up and kissed him softly. When we parted, Edward rested his forehead against mine. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I was such a stupid jackass for thinking it would be okay to invite your mom to dinner."

I put one hand on his cheek with a small smile playing on my lips. "I know you're sorry, Edward. I'm sorry, too. I should have told you what happened between us the other day. You would have known what she was trying to accomplish."

"I still shouldn't have done it. I should have respected your decision regardless, and not meddled in something that really wasn't my business or choice to make. When you left dinner last night, I wasn't sure if I had lost you, or if you could forgive me or not." He dropped his head to the crook of my neck and mumbled, "I didn't dare hope I would ever get to hold you again, let alone have you here in my bed next to me."

I twisted to lie on my side, so we could be face to face. "I'm sorry you thought that, sweetheart. I never meant for you to question my love. I honestly don't think I could ever leave you, Edward. You mean everything to me. I shouldn't have left like I did last night. I was mad, but I shouldn't have run away."

"You had every right to be mad, and I would have needed some space, too. You aren't wrong in this, Bella. This was my fault."

I let out a small chuckle. "How about we say we're both sorry and should have handled the situation a little differently, and call it even?"

He lifted one side of his lips in a small half-smile and nodded. "I think I can live with that, love."

I smiled wider at him. "And you have to promise not to let your playing go to shit the next time we have a fight. It's bound to happen again at some point."

Now it was his turn to laugh, "Fair enough. I should have done better to keep my head in the game. I'm sorry about that, love."

"Stop apologizing, Edward," I said as I rolled us so that he was on his back and I straddled him. I leaned over, kissing him deeply. He groaned and slid his hands into my hair, holding my mouth to his. Our tongues danced together and I felt my body's response to him build rapidly. I shifted my hips back just enough to align with his and ground down against his erection.

I was answered with a rumbling growl from Edward and found myself being rid of my clothes swiftly and on my back, looking up at him. He began to kiss along my jaw and neck fervently. "My Isabella," he whispered, "I am yours completely. I would be lost without you." He ran his lips down across my collarbone and chest, swirling his tongue around one nipple before pulling it into his mouth. I gasped and arched against him, my hands finding purchase in his hair. I whimpered as he sucked and nipped on the sensitive bud and then crossed over to my other breast, giving it the same attention.

I felt myself become wetter with each lick and kiss until I was throbbing between my legs and moaning almost uncontrollably. He made a move to go lower, but I stopped him. "Please, Edward. I need you inside me, now," I begged and he looked at me with eyes dilated with lust. He reached out for the nightstand drawer he held the condoms in, but again I halted him, shaking my head. "I want to feel you, please?"

Edward groaned and positioned himself at my entrance, before gathering me into his arms and holding me close. We both moaned loudly as he thrust inside me. One of his hands traveled back around to cup my breast for a moment before caressing down my ribs and waist to settle on my hip. His fingers pressed into my skin, tilting me at a new angle.

I cried out as pleasure and heat coiled within me, each stroke taking me higher. I kissed him as Edward continued to love me, moving slowly but deeply within me. I wrapped my arms around him, desperate to be as close to him as possible. His fingers shifted from my hip to my knee, hitching my leg higher on his hip, while his lips found purchase just behind my ear.

"_Yes_, please, baby…so close, please," I begged, my hips meeting his with each thrust of his own. I felt his answering rumble vibrate through my chest as he moved with more intensity. I felt my body tighten around him, sparks of pleasure shivering through me. I groaned out loud as Edward surged more deeply than before and my orgasm crashed over me. I felt Edward pump into me a few times more before growling my name as he came inside me.

He dropped his forehead to mine and then brushed his lips against my own. "I love you," he whispered.

I smiled softly and ran my fingers through his hair, "I love you, too. So much."

He rolled us onto our sides, pulling me close to his chest. I nuzzled my nose in his neck, lightly kissing the soft skin there. Edward hummed in contentment, his fingers tracing idle patterns along my hip.

"Did you enjoy your time with your dad?" Edward finally asked, after we'd lay there a while.

"Oh, Edward, no," I groaned. "I am not discussing my father while still naked and tangled with my lover."

He threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Fair point," he said, still chuckling. He rolled me again onto my back, nestling his hips against mine. He quirked one eyebrow, smirking at me, "I'm your lover, huh?"

I blushed but matched his cocky attitude. "Damn right. You satisfy me in ways I never dreamed possible." He growled when I pressed my wet pussy against him and I smiled slyly when I felt that he was just as ready as I was again. "No other will ever touch me, or taste me, or love me but you. You are the only one who will ever have me; body, heart and soul." I placed my lips to his ear, "Take what is yours, my love. _Take me_."

A feral snarl escaped his mouth as he plunged hard and deep into me. "_Edward_!" I screamed as pleasure ripped through my body unexpectedly. He continued to pound into me, enticing wave after wave of bliss to flow through me endlessly. Our eyes locked together and I could see the wild burning in his brilliant green eyes. Small, pleasured noises came from me as I gripped his forearms and let him dominate me. He thrust so thoroughly into me that it was all I could do to hold onto him and give myself over to the ocean of ecstasy he commanded.

I had no idea how long he took me, it could have been minutes, or it could have been hours. I was lost to everything but the sensations he elicited from me, and the ferocious look in his eyes. His wild thrusts became more and more frenzied, until he plunged into me one final time, roaring, _"Mine!"_ I cried out his name again as one last fresh wave of pleasure pulsed through my body.

Edward collapsed on top of me, both of us panting heavily. I closed my eyes, reveling in the feel of his weight pressing on me, the slickness of our skin damp with sweat, and his warm breath on my neck and shoulder. I slowly danced my fingertips along the planes of his back, practically purring with contentment.

Edward made a soft noise before lifting himself off me and onto the bed with a groan. He blinked at me a few times, his gaze hazy and unfocused. Suddenly, he snapped his head up, looking at me with a horrified expression. "Oh, God! Oh, my God, Bella. Did I hurt you, baby?" he whispered. He ran his eyes over me. I looked down and saw the dark red hand marks on my hips at the same time as Edward. "Jesus, I did hurt you!"

"Edward, stop it!" I told him and climbed on top of him. "Don't twist what just happened between us. We might have gotten a little rough, but it was amazing. Beautiful. You were taking but you also gave back a hundredfold." I laughed softly, "You do realize the entire time you were taking me like that I didn't stop coming? Not for a second. If there's a way to give more pleasure than that, I don't think I would survive."

"Really? I mean I knew you were enjoying it but I was so far gone it didn't really register that you never once stopped having an orgasm." His face was doubtful.

"Really, Edward," I nodded. "So if you don't ever take me like that again, I might have to kill you. Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking all the time because I love when you make love to me soft and slow, but I'm not opposed to getting a little rough, either." I leaned over and kissed him, and he put his arms around me at last. "Don't get too crazy though, I'm not talking about ball gags, riding crops, and nipple clamps, or calling you master and having you collar me. We're not going BDSM, okay?"

He chuckled and nodded, closing his eyes and relaxing again. Then he peaked one eye open. "Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"How do you know so much about BDSM?"

I flushed and buried my face in his neck. "I'm very well read, Edward."

He laughed hard, "I think we might need story time together, baby. I want to hear these books!"

* * *

**Hope that was worth the wait. Half of you thought Bella over reacted last time and half of you thought she didn't get mad enough. And almost all of you wanted bodily harm done to Renee. :o)**

**So, I have a goal to get chapter 17 up by the end of next week. Why is that? Well, and please don't kill me, I'm going on vacation! I'll be spending two entire weeks in Ireland and Scotland and I am so freaking excited! I haven't been back to Ireland since I was in college and I've never been to Scotland. Did I mention I'm freaking excited? But yes, that will mean another delay in upcoming chapters (SORRY!) so I'd love to give you guys one more before I go. **

**Reviews will get teasers...probably. Depends on how fast I can write the next chapter and give my betas time to work on it.  
**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hi! Did I lose everyone because I took for-ev-er to update (again!)? I really, truly apologize for this update being so late. I did have an absolutely fabulous and much needed vacation. Thank you all for being so very patient with me. **

**And I'm super sorry for not responding to my previous chapter's reviews (again!). I was going to this week, but figured you would rather have me focus on the story and update it. I've had a couple of you mention you're worried I won't finish the story. I swear I will complete it. I would never just leave you hanging. And, I've also gotten a ton of people concerned Bella is going to end up pregnant. She's not. No pregnant Bellas in my story!  
**

**Also, this was asked of me a very long time ago and I have never remembered to answer it. This story is not told from Bella's perspective looking back on their college days. It's in 'real time.' I know Major Applewhite graduated from Texas in 2001, but he was my favorite of the players when I was there and that's why he gets to be in my story. :o)**

**One more quick note, if you aren't pleased with the direction the story is taking or my writing style or whatever, please don't keep reading. I'm totally fine with you letting me know you don't like it, I'm a big girl and can take the criticism. I just hate to have someone keep reading something they don't like. Especially when there are so many other amazing stories out there. You should be enjoying what you are reading!**

**As always, a massive and love-filled THANK YOU to my betas, A Letter To No One and darlingsalia! I could not do this without you and you both rock my world!**

**THANK YOU to everyone who is reading, reviewing, rec'ing, alerting this story! I cannot tell you how much the response to this story means to me! You are all so amazing!**

**I don't own anything recognizable, like Twilight or University of Texas or _Playboy_. I'm not Stephenie Meyer and I'm not Hugh Heffner. Back to light and fluffy!  
**

* * *

Esme met me at Edward's apartment the following morning before the brunch. She drove us over to The Drake Hotel and we made our way to the banquet room that my sorority had reserved. We walked in and found an open table; Alice had to sit with the other officers and Rose's parents hadn't been able to come in for the weekend so she wasn't here. I smiled at Jessica, Rachel, and Lauren as they introduced their moms and then I introduced Esme to them.

"How sweet of you to invite your boyfriend's mother. You two must be very serious," Mrs. Mallory, Lauren's mom, smiled.

Esme chuckled, "There isn't much that Edward does halfway."

Mrs. Stanley froze. "I'm sorry did you say, Edward? As in Edward Cullen, the quarterback?"

Jessica rolled her eyes at her mother. "Yes, mom. I told you one of my sorority sisters was dating him. Remember how I told you he came to the house and serenaded us with a bunch of the other team members?"

Now all of the moms looked intrigued. Esme laughed again and I blushed under their scrutiny. "Like I said, he does nothing halfway. If there's something he wants, he goes all in and won't stop until he gets it." She smiled at me, "I knew Bella was special the first time Edward mentioned her to his father and I. He never mentions anyone who isn't somehow important in his life, but when he talked about Bella…it was different, _she _was different. I just hoped she was a sweet as Edward said." Esme flashed me the same smirk that Edward always did. "Some of his choices in whom he dated were a little lacking in the substance department; but Bella is a wonderful girl." I flushed all over again. "We're very happy to have her in our lives."

"Thanks, Esme," I said quietly and she reached over to squeeze my hand.

"Has he had a lot of girlfriends?" Mrs. Mallory asked. It was obvious all of the moms were thirsting for any kind of information.

"Oh, no," Esme smiled. "He's extremely picky when it comes to girls. He's dated plenty, but Bella is only the second girl he's ever been truly serious about."

Now I found myself as the subject of scrutiny. "Really? How did you two meet?"

"At a bus stop, actually. He eavesdropped on my phone conversation. Can't blame him really, I was bashing football pretty hard."

"You don't like football?"

I shook my head, "I can't say I'm a huge fan. I really enjoy watching Edward play, but the game still doesn't thrill me."

"That doesn't bother him? I mean, he is going to play professionally, right?"

I shrugged slightly, "Yes and it's something we've discussed, but Edward actually appreciates that I'm not only interested in him simply because he does play football."

Lauren and Jessica's mothers stared at me blankly. It was obvious this was a foreign concept to them, and I was struck by similar they seemed when compared to their daughters. Apparently, vapid and image-driven ran deep in their blood. Jessica at least had a sweet side, unlike Lauren, who was just a viper waiting to strike. I eyed Mrs. Mallory carefully, wondering if that trait had been passed down as well or if Lauren had come by it on her own.

"While I can now appreciate more fully Edward's playing football and his natural talent for the game, I don't think any relationship can be sustained purely on that fact alone. There has to be some kind of deeper connection, it's not as if he'll play forever. In fact, most football careers really aren't that long given the amount of physical toll it takes on the players."

"That's very true, Bella," Esme smiled. "I always worry about Edward every time he steps out onto the field. Football can be a brutal game, but I think it really helps him at least to have our support and yours. He likes showing off for you, but I also believe it makes him more cautious because he's afraid of causing you any unneeded distress."

Mrs. Upson, Rachel's mom, finally spoke up. "Well, it sounds like he's quite the gentleman."

"He most definitely is," I agreed.

"He better be," Esme laughingly threatened. "I worked hard to ingrain that in him."

The rest of the brunch went well, without much more probing from the other mothers about Edward and mine's relationship. After the event, we met back up with Edward and Carlisle briefly before they had to leave for the airport to catch their flight back to Chicago. Overall, the time spent with his parents and mine had gone really well, even if there had been a major hiccup in the weekend's events.

* * *

"Bella, there you are!" Alice exclaimed as I approached her and Rose outside The Commons for lunch the following Tuesday. "We have a slight change of plans, get your lunch to go and come with us."

I looked at both of them warily. They each had excited looks on their faces. "Where are we going?"

"To a photo shoot audition," Rose said coolly, giving me a smug, confident smile.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Just go grab lunch and we'll explain on the way. Don't worry, you don't have to audition, you can just come for moral support," Alice said while shooing me toward the food court.

I picked up a pre-packaged salad and made my way back to the girls. I followed them to Rosalie's car and we began heading...somewhere. Instead of worrying about what was going on, I opted to ignore the situation and focus on enjoying my lunch. I'd finished my salad by the time we were parking and I finally decided to take in my surroundings. "What are we doing on 6th Street?"

"We told you, going to a photo shoot audition," Alice said, turning to me and grinning.

"A photo shoot? At a bar on 6th? Are you sure you two haven't been duped into something?" I asked incredulously.

Alice just laughed and Rose rolled her eyes at me in the rearview mirror. "Come on," Rose told me as we exited the car. We walked together up the street and I was startled to find us approaching The Library. We stepped in and much to my surprise, the bar was packed with girls. With a large majority of them in rather revealing outfits.

I furrowed my brow, "What...?" My voice trailed off as I spotted a sign for _Playboy_ "Hottest College Co-eds" auditions. "_Playboy_?" I sputtered. "Are you serious?"

Again, they laughed. "Bella, calm down. You are just here for moral support, that's all," Alice soothed.

"You guys are really going to pose nude for _Playboy_? What about your parents? Or Emmet and Jasper for that matter?"

Alice gave me 'a look.' "Please. My parents wouldn't go near a _Playboy_ magazine, so they won't ever find out. As for Jasper, he's the one who told me about the auditions. Besides, I won't go completely nude. I'll probably just take my top off and pose coyly. Not every girl bares all in this magazine, some are there to tease."

Rose tossed her hair over her shoulder and smirked, "And others do show it all, which is what I plan to do. I'm from a Hollywood family so making it in _Playboy_ is an accomplishment, not an embarrassment. Even if Emmet weren't totally loving that there will be tons of guys drooling over me while he's the only one allowed to actually have me, he doesn't own me. He wouldn't dare tell me what to do." Her eyes narrowed for a moment and I knew she was thinking back to Royce and what a controlling prick he was.

I knew there was no way in hell Edward would ever be okay with me posing for _Playboy_, he hated when guys even looked at me. And I shuddered to think what my father would say.

"Well, good luck. Not that either of you will need it," I said smiling at them.

A guy with a clipboard approached, his eyes running over all three of us. "Hello, ladies. Do you three need applications for the auditions?"

Rose smiled at him. "The two of us do, our friend is just here for support," she told him and gestured to me.

He glanced in my direction, "Too bad. You sure you don't want an application? We're looking for girls for our pillow fight photo shoot and having three friends who are comfortable with each other would be beneficial. You're gorgeous, you know."

I blushed and shook my head hastily. "No, but thank you."

He handed Alice and Rose their paperwork and smiled at me one last time before walking away.

I decided to people watch while they filled out the forms and decided it was actually pretty interesting. Even though I knew I shouldn't, I was shamelessly eavesdropping on the conversations around me. I thought it was incredible that some of these girls thought this was their big break and it wouldn't be long before they would be living in the mansion with Heff and all the other bunnies.

After a waiting for a few minutes, a stunningly beautiful woman with long black hair, dark brown eyes, and one of the hottest bodies I'd ever seen came strolling out from behind a curtained off area.

"Hello, girls," she began in a sultry voice. "I'm Carmen, the photographer for this shoot. I hope all of you have had time to fill out you application and are ready to begin auditions. This should run fairly smoothly; we'll look over your forms, ask a few questions and if we like everything, we'll take a few test shots. The real shoot will take place a couple days from now and we'll contact you if you are chosen. If you have any questions, please speak with Tom." She gestured to the guy who had given out applications earlier.

She turned to head back behind the black curtains, but paused for a moment. "Oh, and Tom? Call Edward Cullen and set up a time for him to come in this afternoon to discuss the details of his _Playgirl_ photo shoot and interview."

"Sure thing, Carmen. Although now that he has a girlfriend, we might have to adjust the original plans we had for him."

She threw her head back and laughed. "Darling, when have you ever known me to not be able to talk a man out of his clothes? He's a college boy and I have been working in this business for over ten years. I promised him he would be covered and he will. A strategically placed sheet is all we need, but trust me when I say it will leave very little to the imagination. Of course, my imagination will get fulfilled since I'll be the one placing the sheet." She licked her lips before flashing a predatory smile. "Definitely a closed set for that shoot."

With that, she sauntered off behind the curtain and Rose had to grab me to keep from going after her. I stood there fuming at the audacity of this woman before my anger focused on Edward. My eyes narrowed as I grabbed my cell and dialed his number.

It only took a moment before he picked up. "Hey, love. What's up?"

"Edward Anthony Masen Cullen," I growled.

I heard him swallow audibly. "Bella? What's wrong?" he asked nervously.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me you were posing for _Playgirl_? _In the nude!"_

"What?" he exclaimed. "I'm not! I mean, I did agree to do an interview and a few pictures this summer when they contacted me, but not in the nude. I made them promise I would be covered."

"Oh, you'll be covered all right," I replied sarcastically. "There will be a strategically placed sheet, but not until after the photographer has her fill of looking at you and doing God knows what else she can think of."

"Wait, how the hell do you know that? Where did you even find out about this?"

"Because, sweetheart, _Playboy_ is also doing a feature story here. 'Hottest College Co-eds.' Rose and Alice are auditioning and brought me along for moral support, but I think I will try-out. One of the guys here said he thought I'd be perfect for the pillow fight shoot they are planning. I'm sure I'll at least get to wear panties for that one, although I suppose these things can take on a life of their own. Who knows what will happen?"

I almost giggled as I heard Edward stuttering and fighting to find his words after I told him this. Serves him right, the little shit. I don't know when he had planned on letting me in on his little secret, but it damn sure felt good to give him a taste of his own medicine.

"Isabella, you wouldn't dare…" he growled and I laughed.

"Oh, Edward, wouldn't I? After all, what's good for the goose is good for the gander, right? Oops, I have to run. It looks like they're about to get started with the test shots. I bet if I mention I'm your girlfriend, I'll be picked for sure. I can imagine they would be able to come up with a great angle for that one. _Playgirl_ gets photos of the hot quarterback Edward Cullen and _Playboy_ scores the even hotter topless photos of his girl. It's a total coup if you ask me. Talk to you soon, sweetheart!" I grinned evilly and hung up my phone.

Rose and Alice were gaping at me. "You aren't really going to pose for _Playboy_, are you? That was just to get him back, right?" Alice asked.

"Oh, hell no. I'm doing this." I told them determinedly. I stalked up to Tom, who appeared to be leaving a voicemail message for Edward, and then smiled sweetly at him when he finished up. "Hi, I changed my mind about the photos. Could I have an application?"

He swept his eyes over my body appreciatively, "Sure thing, sweetheart. Let me grab one." He turned and rummaged through a stack of papers before pulling one out. As he did this, Carmen walked out and over to him.

"Were you able to get a hold of Edward?"

Tom shook his head, "Sorry, Carmen. Went to voicemail, but I left him a message."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I spoke up, "That might have been my fault. I'm his girlfriend, so when I heard you asking about setting up his shoot I decided to call him to share the news that I was auditioning, too." I smiled at the two of them, while Tom looked at me dumbstruck and Carmen gave me an expression of total disbelief.

"_You_ are Edward Cullen's girlfriend? Isn't that just convenient? Listen, just because you overheard me talk about him does not mean you can pretend to be something you're not to try to get an edge on getting in the magazine. If anything, making that wild statement just hurt your chances," she haughtily replied.

"Bella!" I jumped in surprise as Edward boomed out my name. I spun around to see him loitering in the entryway, scanning the crowd for me. "Bella!" he yelled again.

"Over here, Edward," I called out and his head snapped toward the sound of my voice. I flashed Carmen my best Edward-smirk as he stomped over to us. "I think you might have met my boyfriend, Edward Cullen? Or perhaps you've only spoken on the phone?"

He didn't even acknowledge their presence except for one brief, dark scowl. "Bella, you can either walk out of here with me or I can carry you. It's your choice."

I lifted one eyebrow at him and crossed my arms over my chest. "Don't you dare threaten me. How did you get here so quickly, anyway?"

"I was close by. I had that meeting with Marcus, remember?" I nodded as I was reminded of his new agent. I was glad when Edward picked him, he seemed to be the nicest of the agents we'd met, and genuinely appeared to want the best for Edward.

"Well, you still don't get to be a hypocrite. You're posing for them, too!" I retorted.

"Not anymore, I'm not." He glanced over at Carmen. "I honestly forgot about this whole thing anyway. We don't have a written contract and you were never going to pay me, so I'm just calling it off."

"Hold on, there. Let's not do anything too rash, okay?" Carmen jumped in. "We can talk about this, Edward. How about if I agree not to photograph your girlfriend? You shouldn't have any objections, then."

"I still object!" I practically shouted. "I am not okay with you getting naked for _Playgirl_."

"Baby, I'm not going to get naked for them. I promise," he soothed,

"According to _her_, you will," I argued with a jerk of my head in Carmen's direction.

"What if I did the photo shoot instead of Carmen?" Tom interjected. "You could be there for it, maybe even take some pictures together."

If looks could kill, Tom would have dropped dead from the one Carmen gave him, but I smiled. "That could work, but he's still not getting naked."

"That's fine. I'll probably need him to take his shirt off, but pants can stay on. Deal?"

"I can work with that." I then looked at Edward for his approval.

"That was what I had in mind to begin with, so okay."

* * *

A few days later I went with Edward over to an actual studio for our pictures and his interview. I was nervous because Edward had warmed to the idea of having me in the pictures with him. He had talked more with Tom and instead of doing just a _Playgirl _picture spread with an interview that would run in both magazines, they were going to take a few shots of just him and then some of the two of us as well to publish in both magazines. Apparently, Edward didn't object to my picture being taken as long as he could be in it to make sure the rest of the world knew I was his.

As soon as we arrived, I was taken into a dressing room for my make-up and wardrobe, while Edward was pulled away for his interview. Somehow, despite the many layers of make-up put on my face, they managed a natural look for me with nothing over the top. My hair was curled at the ends and left down to fall over my shoulders and back, which I knew Edward would love. My outfit, on the other hand, made me feel slightly underdressed. I was directed to wear one of those girl-cut faux football jerseys with his name and number on it, except unlike the one I owned and wore to games; this one was a size too small. It hugged my breasts, leaving no room for a bra, and was barely long enough to cover my belly button. Then they gave me a pair of gray, low-rise boy-shorts with "Texas" written across the ass. The overall effect left me looking sexy, or at least that's what everyone told me. I had yet to be convinced.

I insisted on wearing a robe when I came out of the dressing room and made my way to the set. Edward, clad in only a pair of low-slung jeans, was lounging across a bed in what was designed to look like a college dorm room. He smiled slowly at me when he saw me approaching, his eyes smoldering when I loosened the robe to reveal my outfit.

I flushed as I heard some guy on set give a low "Hot damn," when I finally revealed the whole outfit. Edward's expression darkened and I could almost hear him growling. I snickered softly and his gaze came back to mine as he held his hand out to me.

"Come here, baby," he said softly and I walked forward. I focused solely on him instead of the pounding of my heart or the heavy weight of everyone staring at us. My gaze never wavered from his and I could feel my body relax at the touch of his hand as I let him draw me onto the bed. My legs bumped against the side and I drew my knees up, crawling over Edward.

When I was practically hovering over him he lifted both hands, one settling on my hip while the other brushed my hair behind my ear. "Hi," he whispered and I smiled.

"Hi," I quietly said back. Edward lightly put pressure on the back of my head and lifted up to press his lips to mine.

"You look beautiful," he murmured and I felt my cheeks flame. He chuckled and suddenly rolled us over, so that I was the one on my back and he loomed over me. "I fucking love it when you blush." Edward leaned closer, brushing his lips along the shell of my ear. "Too bad this shirt covers how far down it goes."

I shivered and bit my lip to suppress a moan, before glaring at Edward. "Behave," I warned lowly and he just smirked at me.

"Can I help it if you are undeniably, the sexiest woman I've ever seen?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, okay," I replied sarcastically.

He settled onto the bed slightly more, leaning up on his side next to me and keeping one arm around my waist. "It's true, Bella. You are more gorgeous and alluring and sexy than any other female." He gathered me into his arms, gently pulling me so that we were sitting up against the headboard with my back to his chest and our legs tangled together. "I'm crazy about you, baby," he whispered and I smiled.

I moved my hands to intertwine them with his and tilted my head back to look at him. I sighed contentedly, not knowing how I had gotten so lucky as to capture his attention, but decided I didn't care. We were in love and that was what mattered most to me. I heard a camera click and instantly tensed, my eyes automatically searching out the origin of the sound.

Edward lifted one hand to lightly grasp my chin, directing my gaze back to him. "Don't even think about them, love. Just focus on us and forget anyone else exists."

"Easy for you to say," I murmured, still uncomfortable.

"I'm new to this, too, Bella. But I have the girl of my dreams in my arms and I just got to talk about my two favorite things: football and you. Not necessarily in that order." He winked at me and I couldn't help but grin at him. He definitely knew how to say the sweetest things to make my insides melt.

"Oh, yeah?" I asked, quirking one eyebrow. "Just what did you say about me?"

He flashed me a cheeky smile. "Nothing embarrassing, love. I told them about how we met, that you are completely unimpressed with my football playing skills and it's one of my favorite things about you, and your adorable ability to trip over air. I might have also mentioned that I am absolutely going to marry you."

"Edward!" I gasped, sitting up and twisting to look at him. "You didn't!"

The cocky bastard just continued to smile at me. "I thought it was only fair to make sure the guys reading the article knew that there was no way in hell I would ever let you go and these few photos they publish are the closest to you any other guy will get again."

"You are such a caveman," I complained, but deep down I kind of loved it. I loved that he'd made that declaration to the world, or at least the readership of _Playboy_ and _Playgirl_. He thought he was staking his claim on me, but he'd inadvertently let everyone know he was officially off the market, too. He was mine and soon everyone would know it.

Edward must have been able to tell I wasn't truly upset and he bent his head to kiss my cheek causing my lips to lift into a smile. I heard another camera click and then Tom's voice. "Okay, that's it."

I looked at him, startled. I hadn't realized he had been taking photos this whole time. I assumed they would be giving us directions and poses and whatever else in order to get what they needed. I felt, more than heard, Edward's chuckle. "I told you there was no reason to be nervous, baby. See how easy that was?"

I couldn't resist elbowing him just a little, but it didn't wipe the cocky grin off his face. "Okay, you win. It was actually very easy and pretty painless. But I want my cover-up before I go traipsing back to the dressing room to change."

"Damn right. I don't need any other guys checking you out even more that they already have. I swear I'm going to kick the next guy's ass that looks at yours," he grumbled, and then smiled over at one of the assistants close by. "Could you please grab Bella her robe?"

She looked momentarily dazzled by his smile, but then gave a quick shake of her head. "Oh. Yes, of course." She hurried over to the chair I had placed it, and brought it to me.

I slipped it back on and walked back to the dressing room to change. Once I was ready, I wandered back out to find Edward sitting with Tom at a computer, giving his input on which of the prints he thought were best. Edward pulled me into his lap and before we left, the three of us came up with a draft layout of which pictures would be used for the magazines.

I couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised at how well the photos turned out and while they were sexy, they also captured the obvious love between the two of us. None of the shots seemed slutty or too risqué for my comfort and I was actually really pleased with the over layout. I found that I was excited to see it all in print, and for the rest of the world's reaction to me and my sexy quarterback.

* * *

**_Playboy_ does in fact do a 'Hottest College Co-eds' kind of thing. Not sure if that's the true name, but they do tour schools and even rank who has the hottest girls. My senior year they came to Texas and ranked us number 1. Not that I helped us gain that ranking, but whatever, I was still there when it happened. :o)**

**Did I tell you I'm having a girl? No, her name will not be Bella, Alice, Rosalie, or Esme. It's Charlotte. Shh, don't tell my husband there is a character (no matter how minor) from Twilight with that name. We both love it and I'd hate for him to change his mind because he assumes I associate it with the books. I don't. Really. Seriously. Why don't you believe me?**

**Okay, I will really, really, really try to respond to my reviews this time (I can't believe how close to 1000 we are!) and include teasers. If you sent me a burning (non-plot giving away) question I have failed to answer, please PM me! Also, if you don't have PMs enabled I won't be able to respond to your reviews with the new way ffn has them set up. **

**Love you guys so much!  
**


	18. Chapter 18

**Um, hi. Yeah, I know. It's been how long? I'll try to keep this short and sweet, but I'm a rambler, so probably not going to happen. I doubt anyone is still reading this, anyway. **

**Sorry this is so very late in updating. Real life has been a little crazy and as it turns out, I might be having this baby a little earlier than planed. Like, this weekend. Slight complications with my placenta not looking like it's going to do what it needs to do for the next three weeks. I get checked again on Friday and when I was hanging out at Labor and Delivery last night for monitoring, the nurse said she felt pretty sure we'd be seeing her again this weekend. And the one thing I know from working at a hospital is that nurses know. Docs are great, but nurses, they just...know things. It's like they all have this sixth sense, which makes me believe this baby is going to be here for Labor Day. BTW, Happy Labor Day weekend, my fellow Americans!**

**As always, my undying love and thanks to my fantastically awesome betas, darlingsaila and A Letter To No One! They are amazing and I love them both dearly!**

**I was complete fail at replying to reviews, and I'm not even going to make a hint of a promise that I will get around to them before the next chapter. Which might again be a little late in updating if this child shows up early. I WILL finish this story, so please don't give up on me entirely. There's only one, maybe two, real chapters left and then the epi. Not a lot, but I hear you get pretty busy when you have a newborn.**

**I can't thank you all enough for the reviews/alerts/rec's for this story! I am completely blown away by the response and I love you all for everything!**

**It was brought to my attention that Playboy and Playgirl are actually owned by two different companies and that Playgirl is a little more...hardcore in its content. Obviously, I didn't do my research and made an assumption. Oops. So I'm going to claim creative license with that little bit. :) I'm also claiming creative license with some of the timing for events. In RL, the Heisman is awarded in early December, just after the close of the regular college season. Say it with me, "It's fiction!"**

**Gah, enough incessant rambling, on with the story.**

* * *

"Are you sure you can't stay?" Edward pouted and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close.

I laughed and leaned back to look up at him. "It's only two weeks, Edward. I think you'll survive." His frown deepened and I lifted up on my toes to kiss it away. "It's Christmas, and I've had these tickets for months. Since before we met, remember? I changed my Thanksgiving plans and stayed with you then. Besides, my sorority house shuts down over the break and I can't stay there. I have to go home.

"You don't stay there anyway. You always sleep at my place, and you know you could stay with me. You should just move in with me, it's stupid to keep paying rent for a place you're never at," he grumbled.

I ignored the last part of his complaint, now was not the time to get into that particular conversation again. "I'm not abandoning my dad at Christmas. I can't leave him all alone. Your parents are coming in, so it's not like you won't have anyone."

"Your dad could come out here and we could all have Christmas together."

"He can't do that, he has to work. Someone has to be on-call and he hates to make the younger guys leave their families for the holidays."

"Yeah, so now you get left at home by yourself instead."

"No, I cook dinner and then go to the station and we hang out. Play cards; watch a football game or three. Well, he watches and I read. It's our tradition."

"I don't like that fact that you'll be in a police station with a bunch of criminals. It's not safe."

"Edward, it's very safe! We're talking about Forks, not Chicago. There're hardly hardened criminals around. The worst that will happen is getting a call about someone too drunk to drive home and they spend the night sobering up."

"You're going to miss the Big Twelve Championship Game," he whined. "I need you there; you're my good luck charm."

"I am not. We're playing Nebraska again, you won't have any problem beating them and winning a spot in the BCS National Championship Game. You played just fine before you met me, I have no effect on you whatsoever," I told him, rolling my eyes.

"Yes, you do," he murmured in my ear. "I can't sleep without you in my arms, and we both know how making love with you expels my nervous energy. Just having you close relaxes me like nothing else. You're my Bella. I need my Bella."

I had to admit, the boy could sweet-talk me into a puddle of goo anytime he wanted. I found myself snuggling up against his chest and holding him tightly. All I wanted to do was let him pick me up and take me back to his place so I could be with him the entire Christmas break instead of just part of it.

"Edward..." I whimpered and clung harder to him.

I felt him sigh, "I'm sorry, love. I'm not exactly making this easy, am I? I know you have to go. You aren't just mine. I never was very good at sharing."

I moved my arms up around his neck. "I am yours. I'll never be anyone else's. Only yours."

He let out a frustrated growl. "Fuck, baby. Now I really don't want to let you go. Unfortunately, I think I have to or risk getting a ticket...or arrested. Airport cop is headed our way."

I pressed my lips to his fiercely and then whispered, "I love you, I love you, I love you."

"I love you, too, baby. So fucking much," he answered and kissed me again, his tongue plunging into my mouth and tangling with mine. Finally, he pulled back and reluctantly dropped his arms.

I grabbed my bag and gave him a small smile. "I'll call you when I get there. Bye, sweetheart."

He lifted one hand to brush his fingertips down my cheek. "Bye, beautiful girl." I turned and began making my way to the entrance. "Bella!" I heard Edward bellow and whipped around to look at him. "I love you!" he shouted just as loudly.

I felt heat rush to my face and knew I was bright red as I tried to ignore the people staring at us. Edward grinned at me and I couldn't help but smile back. "I love you, too!" I yelled, and his grin widened. I shook my head, laughing, and made my way into the terminal.

* * *

A week later I was in my kitchen preparing snacks for the big game and waiting for my friends to arrive to watch with me. I hadn't had much of a chance to see everyone yet, and I was excited that we could finally all get together. I'd spent most of the previous week cleaning the house and pulling out all of our Christmas decorations. My dad and I had gone out to pick a tree on his night off two days ago to complete the look. Now the eight-foot Noble Fir was full of ornaments and colorful twinkle lights, nestled right in front of our large front window for anyone passing by to see. It seemed a little silly to have such a large tree for just the two of us, but I'd always loved having a big one on display in the house. Looking at it made me smile, and the delicious scent filled the whole room.

I wondered what Edward was doing right now to focus for the game. I blushed as my thoughts drifted to what we'd done the night before, and, well, all of the previous ones since I'd left Austin. Given the number of hours we spent on our phones, it was a good thing we both had the same carrier and could talk as much as we wanted. Yesterday, though, he had received my package that I mailed very shortly after arriving here. Contained in the box, along with dozens of Christmas cookies, brownies, and his gift, was a USB drive with one file on it. It was a video I'd made for him with my digital camera, and I'd left explicit instructions he was not to play the video until he was alone.

It seemed the _Playboy_ shoot had brought out my voyeuristic side and I'd sent a rather racy video of me...with my vibrator. Needless to say, I'd had a panting, growling Edward on the phone immediately after, demanding that I reenact the video with him on the phone whispering hot and dirty words of encouragement. I was getting wet all over again just thinking about it.

A loud knock yanked me from my spiraling thoughts and I took a few deep breaths to calm down and clear my face of any telltale blush that might be present. Rachel, Paul, Sam, Quil, and Claire were at my door. "Hey, guys!" I said, beaming and standing back to let them all in.

After a round of hellos and hugs, we started catching up on what had been going on in each other's lives. Most of my friends had stayed fairly close to home and gone to universities in the state, so aside from facebook updates and emails, I didn't have the opportunity to see them much throughout the year.

Sam had apparently met a girl he was head over heels for, named Emily, who was from Seattle and planned on driving up to see him just after Christmas. Rachel and Paul were still going strong, and I was happily surprised to find that Quil had finally gotten up the nerve to ask out Claire, whom he'd had a crush on since our freshman year in high school, and the two of them were at last an item. They made a cute pair and I was glad to see my friends so contentedly in love.

The guys all were all impressed that I was dating such a big college football star and demanded to know how I landed him. I couldn't help but laugh at their expressions as I retold the story of my football bashing phone conversation and that I naively didn't know who he was when we met.

"It seems like the two of you know each other pretty well now," Paul teased.

"Yeah, you were up close and personal at the last game," Claire added, winking at me.

I blushed thinking about the Texas A&M game over Thanksgiving weekend. Edward had adopted an Aggie tradition of kissing each time after your team scores, and with a final score of 38-0, we'd done quite a bit of making out. I also hadn't realized the camera would be focused on us every single time we'd gained a point. My dad hadn't been too pleased.

I couldn't stop the smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "That was…Edward taking on an A&M tradition called 'mugging down' and making it his. I didn't realize that every time their team makes a goal they-"

"Suck face?" Quil supplied and everyone laughed at my embarrassment.

"Well, yeah," I agreed, grinning and shrugging like it was no big deal. It had been, in my opinion, one of the most enjoyable games all season. I was fully supportive of making it an Edward-and-Bella tradition.

Suddenly, there was a large ruckus at the door as three hulking boys stumbled into my entryway. I beamed widely at them.

"Bella!" they yelled and came into the living room.

I stood up and threw my arms around the first one. "Embry! It's about time you three got here," I laughed as he picked me up and hugged me hard.

"Hey, share!" Seth said, pushing his way between us and I squeezed him in return.

"My turn, stop hogging her," a deep voice rumbled and I found myself once again swept up in an embrace.

"Hey, Jake!" I beamed at all three of them. "How are you guys?"

"Eh, can't complain," Seth replied with a shrug. "U-Dub's pretty good, but it'd be better if our Bells was with us there. We miss you, girl."

I laughed and shook my head. "Sorry, boys, but I'm pretty happy in Texas right now."

"That's what we hear," Embry said, rolling his eyes playfully. "Snagged yourself some big football star at your school."

"Yeah, what the hell, Bella? I thought you hated football. Then some big man on campus fucks you and suddenly you're selling out?" Jake asked with a slight sneer.

The room turned silent as I gaped at him for a moment before starting to snap at him. "What the fuck, Jake? What is your problem? Yes, I have a boyfriend who happens to play football. That's not all there is to him, and anything we do together is between us! None of it is your business."

He lifted one eyebrow challengingly, "You made it the whole nation's business with the way you acted at the last game. You panted after him like a dog in fucking heat! I'm surprised you didn't let him screw you in the middle of the field for everyone to see. Damn, Bells, if all you wanted was just a good lay, you could have come to me years ago. I guarantee I'm better in bed than that asshole."

"Go to hell, Jacob! I can't believe you have the nerve to say something like that to me! I had hoped my friends would be happy that I found someone I love and who loves me back. Apparently, that's asking too much of you. Yes, he plays football. We also have sex, but there is way more to our relationship than just that!" I yelled.

"Like what? He wants to get married and live happily ever after with you?" he replied sarcastically.

"Yes, Jacob! Actually, he does. In fact, he tells me at least once a week that he wants to marry me. He's constantly talking about me moving in with him and making plans with me for the future, for us to spend our lives together. If you can't be happy for me and support that, then you should leave." I crossed my arms over my chest and stared him down. I was furious that someone I'd thought of as one of my best friends would have such a low opinion of my choices.

"Fine! I don't want to sit here and watch you drool over this guy for three hours anyway. Embry, Seth, you guys coming?" Jake rumbled.

"I don't think so, Jake," Seth told him, shaking his head in disgust.

"Yeah, dude, you were way out of line. We all know Bella isn't one of those girls who goes from guy to guy, using them for whatever she can get. She doesn't sleep around either, and you know that," Embry said quietly, but the anger behind his words was evident.

"Whatever, you two can walk all the way back to the res for all I care. I'm out of here." He stormed out of the room and I heard the front door slam as he walked out.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment, fighting back tears. I'd never imagined Jake would ever say the things he'd just said to me, and it hurt to fight with him like that. I let out the breath I'd been holding, "Sorry about that. Embry and Seth, I can drive you home whenever you want."

"Don't apologize, Bells. Jake was way out of line," Sam said, and the others all murmured agreement.

"So, you're really going to marry him, huh? He must be phenomenal in bed," Claire joked, and, just like that, the tension in the room dissolved.

I laughed and nodded softly, "I'll just say that his skills on the football field are nothing compared to in the bedroom." I gave them a sly grin and we finally settled in to watch Texas easily beat Nebraska for the Big Twelve Championship and secure our place in the BCS National Championship Game. And according to the all the announcers, Edward practically had the Heisman Trophy in his hands at this point. They all agreed that there wasn't anyone else playing college ball who was even in the same league as he was.

I couldn't stop smiling throughout the game, watching Edward as he played with precision and flawless accuracy. He seemed focused and determined, for which I was grateful. I had to admit, I'd been a little fearful of how he would play without me present. I hadn't missed many games this year, just the ones too far away for it to be realistic for me to attend. As soon as the game ended, I grabbed my phone and sent him a congratulatory text and kept it close for when he called once he was able.

Reporters hounded him on the field as the team celebrated their victory and Coach accepted the trophy. He answered their questions with an ecstatic smile on his face and my heart ached at not being there to share this with him in person. Edward was asked once where I was and he let them know I was still very much in the picture but had returned home for the break. He'd then flashed my favorite crooked grin and winked at the camera, telling me a quick hello.

All of my friends gave me hell about it, teasing and laughing over the way I blushed and squealed when I saw the interview. My friends and I hung out a while longer, catching up more and making plans to meet up later in the break. I was planning on staying through Christmas and then flying out to New York to meet Edward for the Heisman Award Ceremony before we headed to California for the BCS National Championship Game.

Suddenly, my dad's voice boomed out. "Isabella Marie Swan! You are in serious trouble!" My eyes jerked to the door where I saw my father storming in.

"Dad?" I said in a confused voice, wondering what I'd done to anger him.

He glared as he stood in front of me and waved something in my direction. "You mind telling me just what in the hell this is? And why I had to find out about it from one of my deputies?"

I tried to follow the object he was holding, but still couldn't identify it. "Um, what is…"

"_Playboy_, Isabella!" He shouted as he threw the magazine down on the coffee table in front of me. Immediately, my eyes dropped to the familiar cover with Rosalie laid out across it.

Oh. Shit.

"H-how…how did you…"

"You remember Officer Brady, don't you? Apparently his fourteen-year-old son had this and recognized you in it and showed his dad. Who then showed it to me!"

I cringed as I thought of little Zach Brady seeing me like that. I used to babysit him when I was his age. My friends stared between the magazine and me with incredulous expressions.

"You're in _Playboy_?" Seth asked in a hushed voice. I flushed and nodded, looking down at my feet. "Whoa, I gotta see this!"

My father yanked it back up and leveled his gaze at Seth and the rest of my friends. "Perhaps you should all go now." With a few murmured goodbyes, and Sam offering to take Seth and Embry back to the reservation with him, they headed out. My dad gave me his most intimidating cop face. "Explain."

"Well, what happened was that Rose and Alice were going down for auditions and wanted me to go with them for moral support. I wasn't planning on being in the magazine at all when I went with them." At least that part was true. "While we were waiting, I overheard the photographer talking about setting up a photo shoot of Edward for _Playgirl_ magazine, which I didn't really like. And then when I called him, he found out I was there and thought I was going to audition to be in the magazine and came to get me."

Okay, I was glossing over a few details, like where he'd gotten the idea that I was going to be in the magazine, but I figured the less my dad knew the better, and if I just kept talking, he wouldn't ask. "Once the people running the auditions found out I was Edward's girlfriend, the idea for the two of us to do a feature together came up and I agreed, but only with certain conditions about clothing and whatnot. I actually think the pictures turned out really well. It's not like I'm naked, Dad."

"You're _practically_ naked, and rolling all over a bed with that boy!"

"I wear less when I'm in a bathing suit, and I'm not hanging all over him. We look like we're cuddling in the pictures. I'm an adult, Dad, and I understand that I probably should have told you instead of you finding out this way, but I don't think I did anything wrong. The pictures are tasteful, and I'm completely covered."

"Well, you still should have told me," he grumbled.

"I know, and I'm sorry, Dad."

"_Playboy_ magazine," he muttered under his breath as he headed into the kitchen, no doubt to find solace in a beer. "Definitely going to have words with that boy when I see him…"

I just rolled my eyes and took a deep breath, glad I'd been let off that easily about the whole thing.

* * *

The next week seemed to crawl by. Edward and his parents had decided to fly back to Chicago for Christmas and he was busy seeing family and friends while he was there. With less phone and Skype time with Edward, my days had larger gaps without much to fill them.

The one highlight I did have was making a day trip to Seattle with Rachel and another friend of mine, Charlotte, to find a gown for the Heisman Trophy Awards Dinner. We drove up the day before Christmas Eve and just looking at the malls around the city made me cringe with how crowded they were. Luckily, we'd picked out a few upscale boutiques to check out for dresses since I knew I would need something extra special for this kind of event.

I'd tried on several gowns without much success, when Rachel brought back a shimmering gold one.

"Oh, that's gorgeous!" Charlotte exclaimed. "You have to try that one on, Bella."

I looked over the dress, I had to admit, it was beautiful, but I was hoping to find something in blue. "I don't know. I mean, it's stunning, but Edward loves me in blue. I'm not sure about the gold."

Both girls leveled their gazes at me. "Humor me, just put it on," Rachel said.

I sighed and took the dress from her. I changed quickly, hating the fancy, posh dressing room without a mirror, forcing you to come out into the shop to see what you looked like and allow the sales team to tell you each dress was 'so beautiful' and 'just the right one.' All they wanted to do was make a sale and everyone was more than willing to lie through their teeth to get it.

Looking down at myself, I had to admit, so far it didn't seem completely awful. It was a halter-style with a narrow V-neck to give just the slightest hint of cleavage, and a small cluster of rhinestones gathered at the bottom of the gap. The silk skirt fell in soft folds and fluttered around my ankles as I moved. It was the back, however, that I was intrigued to see. The back plunged all the way down to the dip of my lower back, right where the curve of my bottom began.

I walked out to where Rachel and Charlotte waited. Both girls gasped when they saw me approach, and I knew from their faces that this was the dress. Tiny flutters of excitement curled within me as I stepped up to the mirrors and finally got to glimpse myself.

I felt my own breath hitch as I took in my reflection. The gold fabric shimmered on its own, not needing any extra embellishment and clung to my body in all the right places. The cut of the halter accented the curves of my breasts and the waist dipped in before giving a gentle flair at my hips and flowing down around my legs. I turned to an angle so I could see the back and my eyes widened as I saw the daringly low back and, somehow, the silk managed to fall in just the right way as to emphasize the rounding of my derrière.

"This is it," I whispered and both girls grinned and agreed wholeheartedly. After a minor freak-out over how much the cost of this dress was going to damage my savings, I sucked it up and bought it anyway. I knew I would never find anything else that was this good and was less expensive.

We then searched around and found matching strappy gold heels with ribbons that wound up my ankle and lower calf and were total death traps for me, but again, I bought them because they would be perfect with the gown. I rationalized that Edward would just have to be content to have me lean on him for support so I didn't fall on my ass in front of everyone.

On the drive back I checked my phone and saw that I had a new text from Edward

**I miss you, beautiful girl. I hate that I haven't seen you in eleven days. – E**

I sighed softly and replied, smiling to myself.

**I miss you, too. Only 4 more days, sweetheart. Will you be able to Skype later? – B **

I heard a giggle and looked over at Rachel to see her smiling at me. "Is that Edward you're talking to with such a dopey look on your face?"

I blushed and smacked her arm lightly. "Shut up, I do not have a 'dopey look' on my face! And yes, I was just sending Edward a text back."

"Wow," Charlotte said from the backseat, staring at me. "You really are crazy for this guy, aren't you?"

"Do you honestly think you're going to marry him?" Rachel asked.

I could feel that same stupid grin come back over my face again as I slowly nodded. "I would if he asked me, and I think he will. Eventually." I bit my lip, trying to wipe the smile off my face. "He's amazing. I don't see how any other guy could come close to him."

"Aww, look at our little Bella! All grown up and finally with a real boyfriend. It's about time a guy came along and swept you off your feet," Charlotte teased, and Rachel laughed.

"Yeah, it's good to see you so happy. I know you always said you weren't lonely when we were growing up, but it's great to know you found someone. He just better treat you the way you deserve or he's going to have a large number of pissed off Washingtonians on his doorstep."

"He does. Edward is practically the perfect boyfriend, so don't worry."

* * *

Christmas Eve day dragged on like it would never end. I had been planning on hanging out with my dad, but he received an urgent call and had to leave, which left me to entertain myself. I ended up doing all of the prep work I'd need for Christmas dinner and baked three pies to kill time. I tried reaching Edward, but the night before he had told me he would be really busy most of the day and likely wouldn't be able to talk until that evening.

I attempted watching TV or reading, but nothing held my interest. Finally, I started calling my friends and seeing if any of them wanted to meet up at the diner for supper. With plans in place that would hopefully distract me, I changed into a fluffy green sweater and jeans, pulling on my snow boots before shooting my dad a quick text in case he was thinking about trying to come home for dinner and walked to my truck. I made my way to the diner and headed inside, looking around to see if anyone else had arrived.

I spotted Quil and Claire sitting in a large booth and joined them. Charlotte and her boyfriend, Peter, followed shortly after and then Sam walked in with Jake in tow, surprisingly.

Jake glanced at me sheepishly, "Did you lose my number or something? Why didn't I get a call to be invited for dinner, too?"

I arched one eyebrow at him. "I didn't really feel like calling you, Jacob. I honestly thought you wouldn't want to be around me after the way you acted the last time we saw each other."

"Yeah, um, sorry about that," he mumbled nervously. "I guess I was kind of a dick."

"Kind of," I agreed.

"I really am sorry, Bella."

I sighed and gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Jake."

Dinner was enjoyable, but I began getting worried about Edward, having still not heard from him all day. It was evening here, making it even later in Chicago. I excused myself to go to the restroom and tried calling again, with no luck. I looked at my phone dejectedly as I slowly walked back to the table.

Cora, the waitress behind the counter, stopped me for a moment to chat, when I felt someone behind me.

"Hey, baby. Why do you look so sad?" a warm, velvet voice asked and I gasped, whirling around.

"Edward!" I cried and threw myself into his arms. He chuckled as his arms encircled me tightly. I felt his face buried in my hair and nuzzled my own into his neck, inhaling his delicious scent. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't stand spending another day apart from you. Especially Christmas. I needed my Bella." I lifted my head and brought my lips to his, in a sweet, welcoming kiss. I sighed and leaned further into Edward, reveling in my happiness at having him with me again. "You have no idea how hard it was not to answer your calls or texts today, but I knew if I did I would ruin the surprise," Edward said after we ended our kiss.

"How did you get from the airport to here?"

"Your dad picked me up," he softly laughed. "Read me the riot act for the _Playboy_ thing."

I cringed at the thought. "Yeah, sorry. He was kind of pissed about that."

"Just a little."

"I can't believe you're here!" I beamed at him and took his hand in mind, tugging softly. "Come meet my friends. Are you hungry?"

"Bella, what's going on? You okay?" Jacob approached us warily, glaring at Edward.

I rolled my eyes at him. "I'm fine, Jake. Better than fine, actually." I smiled up at Edward again. "I'm fantastic. This is my Edward; he surprised me by visiting! Edward, this is Jake, one of my oldest friends. His dad and my dad are best friends."

Edward smiled easily at Jacob and held out his free hand, "Really nice to meet you. It's great to finally meet some of Bella's friends from home."

Jake just gave him a single nod with a neutral expression on his face before finally shaking his hand. "Yeah, likewise." He turned back to me quickly. "Come on, Bells. Everyone is waiting for you. It's not like we get to hang out together that often." He shot Edward a pointed look and yanked on my arm, twisting me into an awkward angle.

"Ow!" I yelped, and Edward immediately released my hand and gripped Jacob's wrist.

"Let her go, you're hurting her," he growled, and my arm was freed.

"Damn, man," Jake grumbled and rubbed his wrist. "Possessive much? I barely touched her."

"Barely touched me? You twisted my whole torso, Jacob. It hurt, and Edward was simply looking out for me." I snapped at him while gently massaging my side. "Go back to the table, we'll be there in a minute."

He looked contrite for a moment, but spun around and stomped off to where everyone else was sitting. I felt Edward's touch at my side, brushing my fingers off and gently soothing the ache for me. "Are you okay, love?"

"I'm okay. I just don't understand what's going on with him. He's been such a jerk, and then he apologizes, and now he's a jerk again. I don't get it."

He smiled ruefully at me, "You really don't see why? You've never noticed how he looks at you?"

I furrowed my brow. "Looks at me? What do you mean?"

"He definitely has a thing for you. This is the first time you've come home since meeting me, so it seems like he's having a hard time adjusting to that. Have you been talking about me much?"

"Of course I have. My friends asked about you, and they're happy for me. I've never had a real boyfriend before. But Jake, I knew he had a crush on me, I guess I just thought he'd gotten past that. I made myself very clear that he and I were not going happen. Ever."

"Looks like he was holding out hope and I ruined all of that. He's jealous."

"Well, he can stay that way. It's his problem, and I would never have dated Jake, anyway." I leaned up on my toes and kissed him quickly. "You, on the other hand, are stuck with me. I dare you to try to get rid of me. You'd end up with a very persistent stalker."

Edward laughed, "Persistent and gorgeous. As fun as it might be to have you watching me sleep, I think I'll keep you as my girl so you can sleep next to me instead. Much more entertaining." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at me and I giggled and shook my head at him.

"Come on, lover boy. Let's go meet my other friends, who I think will be much more excited to meet you."

I led him over to the table and introduced everyone around as we pulled up an extra chair and sat down. Luckily, everyone else was very friendly toward Edward and I snuggled into his side happily. I couldn't stop smiling, I was so happy to have him with me, and loved that he had rearranged everything to be with me on Christmas.

Eventually, after Edward had eaten his weight in pie, we all headed out to return to our families. I proudly led him to my truck and laughed when I saw his face. He looked horrified as he took in the beat up, old, red Chevy.

"You drive this…thing?"

"Yes, I love my truck. It's a classic."

"It's a death trap. It looks like it could implode at any given moment."

"Don't hate the truck. Get in, pretty boy, I promise it will deliver you safely to my home. It's built like a tank."

We climbed in and I drove us through town and in the direction of my house. Before we reached my neighborhood, I turned off on a dirt road and drove us into a small, secluded area by the water tower. I turned off the engine, leaving only the radio playing softly.

"What are we doing out here?" Edward asked with a sly grin on his face as he watched me unbuckle my seatbelt and slide over to his side of the cab. I pressed the latch on his seatbelt and lifted it up as I straddled his lap.

"Just something I've always wanted to do, but never had the chance. All of my girlfriends came up here at one time or another during high school to make out with a guy…or more. It's my turn. Plus, I get the added bonus of christening my truck," I whispered and kissed him softly at first, then more aggressively.

"Bella," he murmured against my lips before tangling his tongue with mine again. I ground my hips down onto his, moaning at the blissful sensations it sent through my body. Edward's hands came up to grasp my waist, kneading his fingers into the soft skin there. I pulled back from our kiss and lifted the hem of my sweater up and over my head.

Edward's quiet groan at the sight of me in my satin bra made me smirk with satisfaction.

"Don't you think you might get a little cold, baby?"

"I'm sure you'll find a way to keep me warm," I answered and pressed into him once more. I loved the way his incredible, warm mouth felt traveling along my skin, down the column of my throat, across my collarbone and dipping down to the swells of my breasts. My hands gripped his hair tightly and I held his head to my chest when he nosed one edge of my bra out of the way and sucked my taught nipple into his hot, wet mouth.

"Fuck, Edward. I want you so much…I_ need_ you, baby." I arched my back to give him better access and trailed my hands down his body to the button-fly on his jeans. I yanked at it, felt the give of the fabric and reached inside, dipping my fingers under his boxer-briefs and wrapping my hand around his cock.

He grunted loudly and shifted one hand to the apex of my thighs, pressing hard and causing me to buck my hips into his touch. I was aching and desperate for his skin to be against mine once more, to feel our bodies joined together and the delicious sensations only Edward seemed capable of inciting within me. I felt his fingers move up and my jeans loosened when a sudden ringing filled the truck, causing us both to jump.

"Shit," I grumbled and awkwardly yanked my phone from my pocket. I sighed after looking at the screen. My dad. Always impeccable timing. "Hi, dad," I answered, praying the breathy tone of my voice didn't give anything away.

"Hey, Bells. Are you coming home soon? There's snow headed our way and I wouldn't want you two to get caught in it."

I sighed inwardly, "Sure thing, dad. We're almost there."

"Sounds good. I'll keep an eye out for you."

I ended the phone call and let out a pitiful whimper. "My dad. He's expecting us soon. Apparently, we're getting treated to snow and he didn't want us stuck in it."

Edward let out a deep breath and pulled me close for a moment. "I guess we should get going then," he said in a disappointed tone, and I nodded sadly. "I'm sorry we didn't get to completely fulfill your fantasy. I promise we will one day, okay, beautiful?" I smiled at his words, loving that he wanted to make all of my desires come true.

I drove us to my house and we made our way up the walkway. Right before I opened the front door, Edward wrapped me in his arms and kissed me soundly. "I adore you," he whispered in my ear, right before the door swung open to reveal my father.

We both jumped, even though we weren't doing anything wrong. "You two going to stand out here all night? Awfully cold for that."

"Yeah, dad," I mumbled. "We were just coming in."

After a quick tour of the house, my dad met the two of us in the living room, with sheets and a blanket in hand. "Sorry we don't have a real guest room, Edward, but the couch is pretty comfortable.

"Dad," I started to protest, but was interrupted.

"Thanks, Charlie. I'm sure it will be great."

"Good," my father replied. "Well, better head to bed. Early day tomorrow. You two'll join me at the station when everything's ready?" I nodded and he kissed the top of my head. "Alright, then, good night."

"Night, dad. I'll be up in a couple minutes." He grunted in response and turned to make his way up the stairs.

I sighed and looked at Edward. "Sorry about this. I hate that you have to sleep on the couch. I could sleep down here instead."

"It's no big deal, beautiful girl. I don't mind." He pulled me close again and his mouth found mine. I hummed in appreciation as his tongue slid against mine, sending rivulets of electricity through me. I held tight to him, not willing to end our small make-out session. Finally, Edward pulled back reluctantly. "You better go to bed before I lose complete control, baby."

A small, frustrated growl escaped me, but I knew he was right. I brushed my lips across his cheek, "Good night, sweetheart. I love you. I still can't believe you're here, but I'm so happy you are. Best Christmas present ever."

His answering smile was brilliant. "I love you, too, Isabella. I'm glad you liked the surprise. I just couldn't be apart from you any longer."

I snuggled into his embrace for a moment longer before sighing and turning to go upstairs.

"Sweet dreams, love," he quietly called after me.

* * *

I lay in bed, tossing and turning, until just after one in the morning. I was frustrated and lonely and, well, horny. Particularly after our unfinished session earlier. Having Edward so close and not being able to even lie in his arms was agitating, to say the least. I absolutely refused to take things into my own hands when my sexy boyfriend was mere feet away.

"Argh! This is ridiculous," I huffed and threw back my sheets. Stealthily, I snuck downstairs and into the living room. Edward's eyes snapped to mine immediately.

"Bella?" he whispered and rose from the couch, lit only by the multicolored Christmas tree lights he had apparently opted to leave on. "Is everything okay?" He looked yummy in just pajama pants and no shirt on.

I hesitated in the entry for a moment before shaking my head and launching myself into his arms. He caught me easily and my arms and legs came around him. Our lips crashed together, kissing furiously. Edward made a low, rumbling noise when I pressed my hips against his, his hands kneading my ass deliciously.

My camisole and pajama pants made their way to the floor, as did Edward's pants and boxer briefs. He lay me down on the soft, down blanket that had been pulled to the floor, his lips tracing a hot path along my throat and breasts before moving lower along the planes of my stomach. I was panting and writhing beneath him,when I felt him suddenly stop. His fingers lightly ran along my left hip. "Bella," he gasped and raised his wide eyes to my face.

"Merry Christmas," I breathed with a small smile.

"That's the longhorn symbol. Tattooed on you."

I nodded and my smile grew. I'd gotten the small tattoo in Port Angeles, two days after I'd arrived home. I was browsing for presents, saw the shop, and made the decision. I'd asked for the Texas Longhorn symbol and had it placed on my hip. It had hurt like hell, but was finally healed enough that I didn't notice the irritation much anymore.

"Holy fuck, that's unbelievably hot. When did you get this?" he asked, his gaze darting back down and I felt him tracing the design.

"About ten days ago. I was going to surprise you when we met up in New York. You really like it?"

"I fucking love it," he answered and brushed his lips across the ink. "You know you didn't have to get something so…permanent."

A tiny flutter of fear danced through my stomach. "Well, you and I are permanent, right?" The words were hardly audible, but I knew he heard them.

Edward slid his body back up mine, lifting his hands to cradle my face. "Isabella, you and I are more than that; we're forever." I barely had time to smile before his mouth was on me again, kissing me reverently, yet there was a hungry edge to it that neither of us could deny any longer.

He caressed down my body, his fingers seeking out the warm wetness at my core. I bit down hard on my lower lip, a strangled groan still escaping me. "Shh, baby," Edward whispered in my ear while he gently stroked inside me. "Can't have your dad coming down and seeing me have my wicked way with you."

I panted softly against his shoulder as he slowly drove me crazy with his touch. It wasn't long before the delicious sensations he created were rushing through me and I felt my body tightening around his fingers. "Please, Edward," I quietly begged. "I want you inside me. Don't make me wait any longer."

I felt his low rumble on my skin and lifted my hand to tilt his face to mine so I could capture his lips as he pressed into me, filling my body completely. He thrust slowly, deliberately in and out of me, the incredible friction propelling me into ecstasy easily. His mouth moving over mine muffled my cries, and Edward held me tighter to him as I shuddered and came undone completely. It didn't take long for Edward to follow and he moaned against the skin of my neck as he pushed deeply inside me one final time.

I hummed contentedly, loving the feel of the weight of his body on mine. Too soon for my liking, he rolled us onto our sides and slipped from me. I cuddled into him, not yet ready to leave his embrace. I felt his hand sliding rhythmically through my hair, lulling me into a sated, happy slumber. I didn't wake until I felt myself lowered onto the cushion of my bed. Edward pressed his lips to my temple. "I love you, Bella. Always," he murmured.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, attempting to keep him close. "Stay," I pouted and he chuckled.

"You have no idea how much I want to, but I'd hate to wake up to a gun in my face when your father finds me in your bed, baby." He kissed me once more and I sank back into sleep as his footsteps retreated quietly.

* * *

Early morning sunlight filtered into my room and I stretched out in my bed before getting up and padding down the stairs. I peeked into the living room and saw Edward still curled up on the couch, sleeping peacefully. I decided to head into the kitchen to get started on breakfast and then cooking everything for lunch later that day. I started the coffee machine before popping the cinnamon rolls I prepared yesterday into the oven. I was just pouring myself a cup of coffee while breakfast cooled when my dad came downstairs.

"Morning, Bells. Merry Christmas," he said and placed an affectionate kiss on the top of my head.

"Merry Christmas, daddy," I smiled as he filled a travel mug with coffee and eyed the cinnamon rolls. I shook my head playfully before going over and dishing one up and giving it to him on a napkin. "It's still a little warm, so be careful."

His mustache twitched as he smirked at me. "Always am. Gotta head out, I'll see you later this afternoon?" I nodded and sipped my coffee, smiling. "Good," he nodded. "You'll be okay here, just you and Edward?"

I inwardly rolled my eyes but kept my smile fixed on my face. "Yes, dad. We'll be fine."

He made his way out to the garage and I walked into the living room. I curled up on the recliner, sipping my coffee and watching Edward sleep. After a few minutes, he began to stir and blinked his eyes open, spotting me. "Hey, stalker. Enjoying watching me sleep?" he teased.

I laughed, "It was fascinating. Merry Christmas to you, too."

He smiled and sat up, coming over to where I sat and kissed me briefly. "Merry Christmas, love. I don't suppose there's any chance of me stealing some of that coffee?"

I gave him a superior look and reached over to the end table and picked up the mug I'd already prepared for Edward and handed it to him. "Merry Christmas, sweetheart."

"You are a goddess and I love you," he told me as he took the coffee. He grasped my hand and tugged me over to the couch and we curled up together. "So, even though I'm not worthy of you and nothing I get you will ever be good enough, can I give you your present?"

"Edward, don't be silly." I patted his hand reassuringly, "I'm sure if you got me something with diamonds or some other precious gemstone, it will be fine." We grinned at each other for a moment before I leaned in and kissed him. "Anything you picked out will be perfect. You didn't even need to get me something, just having you here is present enough."

He just walked over to the Christmas tree and picked up a small package. I held the elegantly wrapped gift, almost afraid to ruin the effect. After a gentle nudge from Edward, I untied the bow and tore the paper off. I was left holding a small, rectangular, velvet box. I glanced up at him with a nervous expression.

"Just open it, love."

I stuck my tongue out at him and he smirked at me. I lifted the lid and widened my eyes. Inside was a beautiful silver link bracelet with a diamond heart charm dangling from it. "Edward," I gasped. "This is too much, I can't let you give this to me."

"Yes, you can," he argued. "The charm was actually my grandmother's, so that didn't cost anything. I just bought an updated bracelet and had the heart mounted on it. Besides, it's a present. Most people are much better at accepting them. And you won't lose it. I have complete faith in you."

I finally smiled at him, realizing I was being ungrateful. "You're right. I'm sorry. It's so beautiful, and I love it. I'm a little terrified of losing it. This was your grandmother's; I'd hate to lose something so precious. Will you help me put it on?"

"Of course," he answered and picked the bracelet up from the box. He hooked the clasp around my wrist and lifted my arm, placing a soft kiss at my pulse point.

I looked at the sparkling gem and beamed at him. "It really is gorgeous, Edward. I don't know how to thank you for such an amazing gift."

"The way you're looking at me right now is all the thanks I need."

"Your turn!" I announced. "You did bring the gift I sent with you, right?"

Edward flashed me my favorite lopsided smile, "Of course. I put it under the tree last night."

"Perfect, stay here. I'll go get it." I jumped up from the couch and, after a moment of surveying under the tree, spotted the package I'd put together for him. After carrying it back over, I handed it to him and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "Merry Christmas, Edward."

I watched him tear through the wrapping paper with glee, acting like a five-year-old on…Christmas. Finally, he unearthed the book from the box and examined it. "_All Quiet on the Western Front_?" He looked up at me, with a curious smile. "My favorite book?"

"A first edition of your favorite book. Well, a first edition of it in English. The original manuscript was in German, but I thought at least this way you could read it, if you wanted."

"Bella, this is incredible! How did you find this?" he excitedly asked, the joy on his face infectious.

"Online, the internet has made everything way too easy."

"Baby, this is the best present. Well, aside from the fuckhot tattoo you now have. That is so damn sexy."

* * *

Eventually, Edward and I got dressed and he helped me finish cooking Christmas dinner before we packed everything up and headed over to the police station. It was just the three of us, hanging out and eating to our heart's content. My dad and Edward gorged themselves on football as well as food, and I happily curled up on a chair with one of my favorite books, slyly peaking up at the two main men in my life from time to time. I loved how well they were getting along, and that my dad truly seemed to accept Edward as much as his parents had done with me. Truthfully, I think my dad was just a little excited to have someone he could really talk sports with when I was around and keep me happy at the same time.

* * *

**There you have it! I hope it didn't entirely disappoint, especially after this long of a wait. Leave me some love if you feel like it, and know that I love all of you!  
**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi. I'll try not to ramble too much. Sorry for the delay, I have an almost three month old baby. She doesn't let me write very often, but she's the cutest thing on the planet! **

**As always, soooooo much love and thanks to my beta, darlingsaila. She is THE BEST!**

**I actually replied to reviews from the last chapter! I think I got to everyone unless your PMs are turned off. THANK YOU to everyone reading/alerting/reviewing! The response to this story is overwhelming!**

**I also have to give a HUGE thank you to winehoes (collab between Livie79 and iambeagle) for letting me borrow their E&B from Dirt Roads. They have a small cameo in this chapter and I hope you like it! If you aren't reading this story, go now! I'll wait because this story is so fabulous and hilarious, and everyone should read it. http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net / s / 7303130 / 1 / **

**Okay, here we go... Oh, yeah. I don't own anything you actually recognize, I'm just playing.  
**

* * *

"I am really, truly, seriously in love with this bed," I moaned as I slowly awoke. Edward and I had been in New York City for three days and I still couldn't get over the fabulousness of the hotel bed. We were staying at the Waldorf-Astoria, which was incredibly beautiful and opulent and apparently had the greatest beds on the planet.

"You know, I'll buy a bed like this if you'll move in with me," Edward teased, his voice low and gravelly from sleep.

I smiled softly and rolled over to brush my lips across his. "Okay," I agreed and snuggled back down into the downy softness.

"Are you serious?" he asked, startled.

"Mmm hmm," I purred, trying to fight my smirk. I'd already decided that enough was enough and it was silly of me to not officially move in with Edward. It wasn't as if I didn't spend every night with him, and he was right when he pointed out I was wasting my money on rent at the sorority house. I was simply waiting for him to bring it up again, and knew he would sooner rather than later.

"Bella, you're going to move in with me? For real?"

I saw the guarded hope all over his face and in the tension in his body, which was now leaning over mine intently. I ran my fingertips along the edge of his jaw, drinking in just how beautiful he was, and reveling in the familiar ache in my chest when I thought about how much I loved him.

"Yes, I want to live with you."

I only caught a glimpse of the wide grin breaking across his face before his mouth was moving on mine and his hands tangled in my hair.

"Thank you, baby. You don't know how happy you've made me."

I giggled at how cute he was and wrapped my arms around his neck. "I love you, and you're right; it is silly to keep my place at the house when I'm already practically living with you. And if you're really ready, so am I. Well, as long as Jenks actually can find a way to break my lease without me paying a penalty. After the amount of money I spent on the dress for tonight, I definitely don't have anything to spare. I'm also going to insist on paying rent with you."

Edward shook his head at me and murmured, "Silly, stubborn girl. The apartment is paid for, so, no rent." I opened my mouth to argue, but he stopped me. "I'll let you split the utilities, because that's all I pay."

I huffed quietly, "Fine. But I'm also helping with half the groceries."

His smile was infectious. "Done. Now I have a phone call to make. Jenks just needs to contact your sorority Building Corporation to tell them you won't be back in the spring. I already had him examine the lease."

I gawked at him as he smirked and left to make the call. "I had faith you'd eventually see reason," he called to me from the living room of the hotel suite.

Smug little shit. "Fine, but you'd better replace your bed with one of these or you'll be awfully lonely!" I yelled back and was answered with his laugh.

I rolled over and looked at the clock, groaning internally at the fact that I needed to haul my ass out of bed. We were meeting Edward's parents for brunch followed by mani/pedis at the spa with Esme before the Heisman Trophy Award Dinner. We were going to be late if I didn't get a move on. I forced myself upright and headed for the bathroom, wincing slightly. My backside was still a little sore from falling on it yesterday when Edward had talked me into attempting ice-skating at Rockefeller Center.

We'd done all the big tourist things to do in New York over the last few days: Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Central Park, and exploring both the Met and MoMA. Ice-skating had been Edward's suggestion, and after using his saddest puppy dog eyes, I relented with the condition that he had to hold onto me the entire time. Of course, he couldn't really control the actions of a punk teenaged boy who slammed into me as he ran past where we stood in line for hot chocolate. I hadn't even been wearing the skates, but I fell hard enough to cause a major pain in the ass. Fortunately, I had a very attentive boyfriend who did his best to assuage the ache.

I showered and dressed quickly, and then we headed down to meet his parents.

* * *

"Baby, are you planning on coming out of the bedroom any time soon?" Edward called through the door. "It's just that the limo should be out front in about two minutes, so…"

I chuckled softly and finished up putting on my shoes. I walked out and bit my lip as I took in the sight of Edward in a tux. Holy fucking sex on a stick. The boy always looked handsome, but in that black jacket, crisp white shirt, and burnt orange tie, he was lethal. He was so deliciously sinful that I was pretty sure my panties spontaneously combusted.

"Wow… I, um… you look… so damn beautiful," he stammered, licking his lips.

"You, too," I breathed. I was pretty sure my eyes had glazed over and there was drool on my chin. Then he smiled, and a strangled whimpering noise escaped me. "I really want to kiss you, but my lipstick," I murmured and gestured to my mouth.

He reached for me and pulled me close. "That's okay," he whispered and dipped his head to kiss me just next to my lips. Slowly, he moved along my jaw and down my neck, sucking lightly at my pulse point. I slid my hands into his hair—which was just as unruly as ever—as Edward tightly wrapped his arms around me. I moaned when Edward pressed his body against mine and we stumbled back against a wall. I was seconds away from hitching my dress up around my hips when a knock came at the door.

"Fuck," he swore and reluctantly released me. He ran a hand through his hair and laughed shakily. "I guess we do have somewhere to be, huh?"

"Right," I exhaled. "There's some football award that I believe has your name on it." I smiled at him and the knock sounded again. Edward held out his hand and I placed mine in it as we walked out to where Carlisle was waiting for us with a knowing look.

The ride over to the ceremony was quick and quiet. Edward seemed lost in his thoughts and I don't think anyone wanted to disturb him. Once we arrived, though, he took a deep breath and smiled. "I guess this is it."

We walked into the theater, which had a plethora of tables set up for the dinner and the stage arranged for the ceremony. It was beautiful and opulent. Crystal chandeliers sparkled from the ceiling, delicate black and white china place settings on gold tablecloths, and centerpieces with dark purple calla lilies, roses, and orchids.

On the stage there was a similar set-up with a long, rectangle table instead of a round one, and a podium off to the side. Placed on the podium was a bronze statue of a man cradling a football in one arm and holding the other out as if to stop an oncoming attacker. The Heisman Trophy, just waiting to be given to this year's recipient.

Edward slid his arm around my waist, trailing his fingers lightly up and down. "I don't think I really conveyed just how stunningly breathtaking you look tonight, Bella. That dress is amazing."

I bit my lip and returned his smile. "Thank you, sweetheart. You're pretty devastating yourself."

"I have to go do a couple interviews before dinner, but you'll be okay with my parents?"

"Of course. Have fun." I smiled and went with his parents to mingle during the pre-dinner cocktail hour. I only had one glass of champagne since the hors d'oeuvres weren't filling at all, and I didn't think it would be a good idea to get drunk until after the award ceremony. I let Esme and Carlisle do most of the talking because I knew trying to answer questions about Edward and football was not my forte and I didn't want to make a complete ass out of myself. Instead I kept my mouth busy sampling goats' cheese with caramelized walnuts and miniature watercress and asparagus tarts.

Finally, I saw Edward making his way across the room. I smiled when he wrapped one arm around my waist and grabbed a glass off a tray as a server passed. "I thought that would never end," he said under his breath, and I giggled.

"Well, it's over, for now. I'm sure there'll be plenty more after the ceremony."

"Ugh," he groaned. "Don't remind me, baby."

"Oh, please. You love the attention and you know it."

"I like _your_ attention." He flashed his gorgeous, crooked grin and ran a hand through his hair. When I inhaled shakily, he winked at me and a small moan escaped me. This boy was too fuckable for his own good.

Trying to fight fire with fire, I lifted one hand to nonchalantly trail my fingertips along the edge of my neckline. "I definitely plan on giving you that all night." I sank my teeth into my lower lip, knowing it would drive him crazy.

"Shit, dinner starts soon, right?" Edward asked anxiously.

"Hmm, not sure. I hope so, but I'm far more interested in dessert."

I laughed at his low growl and leaned into him as he held me tighter.

Thankfully, the transition to dinner did happen shortly after. Edward and I made our way to the head table where all of the nominees and their dates were placed. There were three other players up for the award, and I was apparently the only who didn't know them by sight.

Just as I was about to lean over and ask Edward who everyone was, the gorgeous, dark-haired girl to the right of us spoke. "So, I know everyone knows the guys at the table, but perhaps the girls should introduce themselves? I'm Makenna."

Everyone looked at me. "I'm Bella," I said softly and blushed. "And I don't know the other boys."

I was met with incredulous stares. "Are you serious?" one of the two blonde girls at the table snarkily asked. "I mean, come on! It was a cute story the first time, but you can drop the naïve act."

I arched an eyebrow. "I have a boyfriend who happens to play football, that doesn't mean I have to know everything about it." Edward gently rubbed his fingers at the small of my back in a soothing motion.

The sandy-haired guy next to Makenna chuckled and draped an arm behind her. "Good for you for not pretending to like football. No reason to be someone you're not. I'm Seth Fanning, quarterback, Stanford."

"I'm Benjamin Kebi, and this is my date Senna," the guy next to the snobby blonde stated. "Running back at USC."

"And I'm Randall Tangradi, also a running back, Michigan."

"I'm his girlfriend Mary Powell."

"I'm Edward Cullen, quarterback at Texas," Edward teased, smiling cockily at me.

"Bella Swan," I shot back, "in the market for a new boyfriend."

He laughed and pressed a kiss to my temple. "That's why I love you, you never put up with my shit."

"Don't forget it either," I said with a grin.

Servers began circulating through the room while different presenters talked about the history of the Heisman award, and the statistics and athletic qualities of each nominee. For dinner, Edward and I had both opted for the filet mignon with rosemary potatoes and sautéed spinach, while some of the others chose the grilled mahi mahi option. Dessert was New York Style Cheesecake with an assortment of chocolate truffles. The entire meal was delicious, not that it was noticed by most of our table. Only Makenna and I actually ate our food, the other girls simply picked at it as if eating one bite would cause them to gain fifty pounds in an instant. I wasn't entirely surprised by the guys not eating their dinners; the tension mounting at our table was palpable. Even though all of the guys pretended to show total confidence, there was a nervous air to all of them. I held one of Edward's hands while the other tapped out some silent melody only he could hear. It was a distraction technique to keep him calm.

My own stomach was in knots because I knew how much Edward wanted this, and I wasn't entirely sure how he would react if he lost. I had the feeling that defeat wasn't something he took well, and I hadn't really had to see that side of him yet. We'd had a perfect football season so far, and there was only the BCS National Championship game left.

Finally, the last presenter stood up to announce the winner. He gave a few more accolades and it was all I could do not to huff in frustration. How much more talking could they do to drag this out longer?

At last, he lifted the envelope and broke the seal. "And the 2011 Heisman Trophy Award winner is… Edward Cullen!"

Applause burst out from everyone and I let out a little squeal of excitement. Edward grinned widely before he turned and gave me a hug and brief kiss. "I'm so proud of you, baby!" I whispered in his ear just before he made his way to the stage.

Edward was handed the trophy and he approached the podium. Still smiling, he stared at the trophy for a moment and shook his head in disbelief, and then he looked out at the audience and began his speech.

"Wow," he said and ran one hand through his hair. "I… don't even know where to begin. Thank you to everyone who voted for me, it's truly an honor. Every coach, from little league to all of the coaches at Texas, has shaped me into the quarterback I am now, and I will always be grateful for their guidance and wisdom. For some reason, they saw something in me and did everything they could to foster the talent and skills needed for any great player to succeed. But there is one who stands out from the others, mainly because he's always been there to give me pointers and encouragement, my very first coach: My dad.

"He bought me my first football, and when he wasn't at the hospital working or letting me tag along there, he would play with me—from simple games in the park, to watching tapes of my games together to find new ways to hone my abilities and minimize my mistakes. I also have to thank my mom for even letting me play football. I know it wasn't easy to watch me get knocked down and bruised and battered, but she never missed a game when I was growing up and that meant the world to me. She has always been my biggest fan, and supported me even when it hurt for her to watch.

"And lastly, I have to thank one more person: My girlfriend Bella. She might not have been in my life for more than a few months, but in that time, she's given me new inspiration. There's a new focus and spark she's ignited in me, and she's added an extra element of fun to the game. The hotshot boy inside me wants to show off for her, to impress her and make sure she knows she's with the best. In return, she's given me nothing but unconditional support and love. She is a quiet but fierce spirit, and I am eternally thankful that we found each other."

I wiped the tears that were tracing paths down my cheeks and beamed at him as his eyes found mine. "I love you," I mouthed to him, and he flashed his crooked, panty-dropping smile that he reserved only for me.

"So, thank you, again. This award is truly an honor to receive." Edward gave a little nod of his head and applause rang out once more for him. He made his way back to the table and reclaimed his chair. I leaned over and kissed him for a moment, and the ceremony wrapped up shortly after.

Once we were finished, Edward had to go back over to the press area to do his post-award interviews. I chatted with Makenna and Mary while we waited for the interviews to conclude, but soon Esme and Carlisle pulled me away. We walked over to the press area and I glanced nervously at the two of them the closer we got.

"They want a few pictures of him with us," Esme whispered to me, and my anxiousness doubled.

"I don't think… they don't need me. You two should go, I'll wait here," I said and slowed.

"Nonsense, sweetie. Of course they want a picture of you, Edward did mention you in his speech, too." She smiled at me and hooked one arm around mine.

We took a few pictures all of us together, and then some of Edward and his parents without me. Edward held his hand out to me and coaxed me to let the press snap a few photos of the two of us. He kept me close, seeming to know I would want the reassurance of his presence. There were a few questions hurled at us, but I either just nodded or let Edward handle those.

Once we're finally finished with the interviews and pictures, all of us made our way back into the main dinning area. The other nominees and their dates were still hanging out, and Edward and I decided to join them in going to a club for an after party. Carlisle and Esme bowed out gracefully and headed back to the hotel while the rest of us climbed into a limo to head over to some swanky, exclusive dance club none of us had ever heard of. Apparently, we were meeting a group of NFL players who had attended and wanted to take all of us out to show us the New York nightlife.

Edward was practically buzzing with excitement and I couldn't help but let it infect me, too. I'd been a bit apprehensive about going out with the other guys, but they all took their defeat with dignity and seemed genuine when congratulating him.

Once we were inside, a bouncer led us up to the VIP area upstairs and champagne was passed around to everyone. The club was loud and chaotic and pounding with music. Flashing lights illuminated the throng of dancing bodies down below and our much less crowded section held plush couches and seats with silver and glass tables scattered throughout. Someone ordered a round of shots and Edward handed me one before grabbing another for him.

"So, Bella," one of the pros, LaDainian Tomlinson, said, "what was your favorite part of tonight?"

"Hmm," I mused, thinking back over the night. "I think I'd have to be completely honest and say how fuckhot my boyfriend looks in a tux." I winked at Edward and smiled lustfully at him.

Laughter erupted around us and he lifted his shot glass. "Gotta appreciate a girl who tells it like it is. To honest girlfriends!"

Everyone around us imitated the gesture and we tossed back the drinks. I reached up and grabbed Edward's tie, tugging him toward the stairs. "Let's go dance, baby." He grinned and let me lead him out to the floor. Once we were there I threw my arms around his neck and squealed, "You won!"

He wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me up, astonished happiness written all over his face. He spun us around once and then dropped his face in the crook of my neck. "I still can't believe it. I'm the Heisman winner. Fuck, that feels good!"

"Damn right, it does! Of course you were picked; you're the best! I don't know how they would have chosen anyone else."

Edward set me back on my feet and grabbed my hips. "Remember the last time we went dancing together, baby?" he asked as we began moving our bodies in time with the beat.

I flushed with the memories of his hand slipping under my skirt and teasing me until I came for him in the middle of a crowded club. I squirmed a little at the rush of wetness I felt between my thighs. "My skirt was a little shorter last time," I giggled nervously.

His eyes met mine and I swallowed at the stark lust I found there.

"True, but I bet there's a nice, dark corner up in the VIP section. I think your dress would slide up those incredibly sexy legs of yours pretty easily." His hot breath fanned across the skin of my neck deliciously as he whispered those words, making me tremble in his arms.

I gave a soft moan and yanked his head to mine, kissing him hard. Just the feel of his lips and his tongue tangling with mine had me panting with want. With _need_. He pulled back and I whimpered.

Edward led us back to upstairs where we sneaked in and found a very dark, abandoned alcove. Immediately, he pressed me up against the wall, his hands gathered the fabric of my dress to hitch it up around my waist. I grabbed his shoulders and hoisted myself up to capture his mouth once more as I hooked my legs around his hips. I felt one of his hands slip between us and shuddered as his fingers explored me.

"Fuck, you're so wet," he murmured and fumbled with his pants.

Once he had his cock free, he moved my panties to one side and pushed inside me. We both groaned at the sensation, and he frantically started thrusting in and out of me. He used one arm to help hold me up around my hips and the other wandered over me. First, he tangled his hand in my hair, pulling it from the chignon I'd crafted for tonight. Then, he softly caressed down my neck, his gentle movements clashing with the furious tempo he kept below. He shifted to cup my breast, seeking out my nipple, and froze at what he encountered instead.

A strangled, desperate whimper left me and I tried to push myself against him, but he had me pinned to the wall.

"Bella, what the fuck is on your tit?" he asked in a rather alarmed voice.

I couldn't stop the tiny laugh that bubbled up inside. "They're called pasties, Edward. It's a stick-on nipple cover-up."

"What? Why?"

Now I really couldn't stop my giggles at the horror he displayed. "I can't exactly wear a bra with this dress, and I thought it would be tacky for my nipples to be on display if I got cold or something. Not a big deal."

"Maybe not for you," he grumbled.

I scraped my teeth lightly across his Adam's apple and felt his resulting shiver. "Now, will you please continue fucking me, or do I need to take things into my own hands?"

He growled and suddenly attacked me again. With his tongue dueling with mine, he furiously pounded into my pussy, and it was all I could do not scream when my orgasm finally broke through me. I felt Edward follow shortly after me and both of us were left breathless and clinging to each other.

Once we had put our clothes back in order, he kissed me again, sweet and soft this time. "You know what's so great about you? I love that you were so excited and happy for me when I won, but if I hadn't, you wouldn't have felt even an ounce of disappointment in me. Maybe _for_ me, but not because I hadn't met your expectations."

I looked at him with a small smile. "The only thing I want is for you to be happy. As long as you are, then that's all I need."

His dazzling, crooked grin spread across his face. "I love you so much, Bella."

"I love you, too, Edward," I replied and danced back from his reach. "Time to rejoin the party."

* * *

The day of the BCS National Championship Game was sunny and mild in San Diego. The air was crisp but not cold, one of the perks of winter so far south. We were playing Stanford for the title, and Edward and I had managed to meet up with Seth and Makenna for dinner two nights earlier. I found that they were both really fun to hang out with, so I was a little nervous at one of the boys beating the other at today's game. They each had something to prove. Seth had to show how wrong the voters were in not choosing him for the Heisman, and Edward had to make sure they knew they were right.

Since it wasn't a typical conference game, our seats weren't quite as stellar as normal and the football girlfriends group was slightly scattered throughout the stands. Rose, Alice, and I managed to get seats together about ten rows up from our usual place.

From the moment both teams stepped out onto the field, you could sense the determination radiating from them. The first half of the game was low scoring with Texas gaining fourteen points and Stanford at ten. The defense teams were all over Edward and Seth, not allowing either one much room to maneuver the ball forward.

By the time halftime rolled around, my shoulders were achy and tight from the tension I was feeling. We were ahead, but not by much. I could tell from Edward's demeanor that he was angry and likely beating himself up over his performance. I wished I could help him relax and calm down, but I knew better than to break his concentration.

I was anxiously waiting for the second half to commence when a rather noticeable scent wafted over me.

"Edward, this is great, but I miss Intercourse!" a young girl with long brown hair giggled loudly.

My head snapped in their direction.

"Yeah, Pockets, Intercourse is pretty good," the boy next to her replied. He had on a trucker hat and a very amused grin that was aimed at the girl. The breeze kicked up and I pinpointed the origin of the smell. Marijuana. And it was coming directly from these two. They reeked of it.

"Intercourse is fucking awesome!" she shouted, and Trucker Hat Boy pulled her close to him as he noticed the looks they were starting to get. "I don't get these dumbass mascots. I mean, first Alabama and the riding the fucking crimson tide, and now Stanford and fucking Cardinal? Why the fuck do these schools keep picking a color for a fucking mascot? Go War Eagles! Fuck, I mean, Longhorns!"

Trucker Hat Boy was practically pissing his pants with laughter at this point. "Well, Stanford does have a tree they use for an unofficial mascot."

"A tree?" she screeched. "A fucking tree? Tree fuckers!"

"Uh, don't you mean tree huggers, Pockets?"

"Hell no, I mean tree fuckers! Tree fuckers!" Her screaming was definitely garnering much more attention, both good and bad.

Rose, Alice and I were cracking up. "I think this is the best halftime show ever!" Alice snickered.

"Hey, Pockets, I'd really like to not get thrown out of this game. Think you can fucking manage that?"

She looked at him shrewdly. "Okay, but only if you promise to take me to our meadow when we get back to Intercourse."

"Done. Now behave," he smirked.

She gave him a sassy smile in return and turned to look back at the field where the teams were coming back out. Her eyes caught mine as she did so and they narrowed at me. Suddenly, her hand shot out and grabbed Trucker Hat Boy's crotch, and he jerked in surprise. "Mine, bitch," she mouthed and cocked an eyebrow.

I widened my eyes and just turned back to the field.

"That girl's got your number, Bella," Rose cackled.

"Shut up, Rose," I replied as I smiled encouragingly at Edward when he looked up at me for a brief moment.

The second half of the game was slightly less agonizing with Edward throwing a pass that we scored on, bringing us ahead by eleven points. As the time ticked down, the Texas fans grew more and more excited and could hardly be contained in the last seconds. As soon as the clock ran out, people jumped the railings and a flood of burnt orange rushed the field, celebrating our win. The girls and I scrambled to join in, and I fought through the crowd to search out Edward.

I finally reached the players all huddled together and Felix grabbed me. He hoisted me up to be passed over to Edward, who was in the middle, and I held on tightly to him once I felt his arms around me. We were both ecstatic and beaming when he leaned down to kiss me fiercely.

In the midst of all the chaos I'd never felt more peaceful, and I knew that whatever craziness would be thrown at us with pro football life, as long as I had Edward, everything else would work itself out.

* * *

**There you have it, the last real chapter of this story. Only the epi left and that's all she wrote. The epi will up shortly because I have to go back to work on Tuesday and I will have it to my beta before then. I'll post as soon as I get it back from her. I think (hope) you'll be happy with it! Oh, and since so many of you begged for it...it's in EPOV. :o) Thanks again for reading!  
**

**A couple rec's because I LOVE these stories and there are not enough reviews for them. So go read, review and tell them I sent you (because you always wonder who did when you suddenly get a flood of new alerts/reviews):**

**Last Friday Night by amandac3 - Fluffy, birthday sex fun with E&B, and it's complete! http:/ www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net / s / 7163346 / 1 /**

**The Cellar by iambeagle - Another Austin based story that is funny and awkward and fluffy E&B moments. http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net / s / 7546180 / 1 /**

**A Beautiful Mess by Livie79 - More angsty, but beautifully written and not agonizingly drawn out with the angst so far. Damaged Bella and an Edward trying to help put her back together. http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net / s / 7565451 / 1 /**

**And, once again, iambeagle and Livie79's collab: Dirt Roads by winehoes - Set in Intercourse, AL, an NYC Bella thrown in with Edward and friends in the country. Hilarity ensues! Seriously, I don't stop laughing the entire time I read a new chapter and they have the BEST meadow scene ever. EVER! Trust me on this. Plus you got a sneak peek at them in this chapter. Who wouldn't love an Edward who gives Bella the nickname Pockets? http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net / s / 7303130 / 1 /  
**


	20. Epilogue

**Well, here it is. Finally. Sorry for the delay, but as it turns out I have a mental block on writing lemons from a male perspective. Ugh. **

**A massive, giant, huge THANK YOU to darlingsaila for beta-ing and helping me get the words down on paper. There are no words for how awesome she is! Lovelovelovelove you, girl!  
**

**Another massive, giant, huge THANK YOU to everyone who read/altered/reviewed/rec'd/lurked this story. The response was so much more than I ever dreamed and I love you all!**

**Normal disclaimer that I own nothing recognizable applies. All EPOV. Hope you like it! **

* * *

_Five years later - Chicago_

I tapped my fingers impatiently on the armrest of the town car door, staring out at the steps of The Murphy Auditorium. On the left side there was a portioned off area with a group of about twenty journalists and photographers waiting for everything to begin. After sighing once more, I glanced at my watch in irritation.

"Fucking cockblocking pixie," I muttered and ran a hand through my hair. Alice would skin me alive after seeing the state of disarray my hair was in, but I couldn't give a shit. She was the reason Bella and I hadn't had sex in over a month, and the reason I hadn't seen her in nearly a week with the exception of a few hours last night spent in a restaurant surrounded by our families and friends.

It was bad enough that she had turned this wedding into a three-ring circus simply because it had to be "fitting for the starting quarterback of the Chicago Bears." No small, quiet affair for Bella and me like we'd originally planned. After a disastrous radio interview in which every female caller had berated Bella for not wanting an extravagant wedding, Alice had steamrolled all over the intimate, outdoor ceremony that was in the works. I was still pissed at myself for running late that day and Bella covering the phone interview while I was on my way home. Even women who said they loved small weddings insisted that if they were marrying me it would be an affair to remember and everyone would know it. But hindsight is twenty-twenty and Alice pounced all over the seed of doubt that had been planted.

And so began a year of planning. We had to pick the perfect venue, which turned out to be The Murphy with its "French Renaissance style and architecture that resembles the Chapelle de-Notre-Dame de Consolation in Paris." Alice insisted it would be a quaint, but elegant setting and exactly what we needed. There were late nights where Bella and I sat in bed together as she picked out flower arrangements and Vera Wang dresses. Appetizers of smoked haddock ﬁshcake with pea guacamole and miniature watercress and asparagus tart, dorset blue salad followed by a choice of seared beef tenderloin with truffles or breast of guinea fowl with braised leek and juniper berry sauce. I didn't even know what that shit was, but I knew it wasn't something Bella would make us for dinner.

Then, a month before the big day, an overblown wedding became the least of my worries. It seemed that Jasper had to go to Tokyo on business for three weeks and Alice refused to stay at her house alone for that long, and with all the last minute details that needed to be finished, it would be perfect timing for Bella to stay with her. I thought I'd get Bella back for this last week, but no, that would just be silly. Why not make the wedding night that much more special? After all, what was one more week when we had already been separated for three?

_Fuck that._ I wanted my Bella at home again. Even trying to sneak into her office to steal a little time with her didn't work; there was always someone around. It had been the most torturous month of my life.

Last night at the rehearsal dinner, I couldn't let go of her for even a second. Not even when she needed to use the restroom—she had to physically push me out and lock the door. Although, all of my friends said I was the most pleasant I'd been in weeks. All I could do was smile and pull Bella closer. At the end of the night when she left to go to the hotel with the girls, I wanted to kick and scream like a toddler right there on the street. Thank fucking God it would end today.

Aside from missing Bella, it didn't help my sanity that she was stressed out. Every time we talked about the wedding I could hear her anxiety and unhappiness with the whole thing, but she kept saying the wedding would be "great." Everything was "great" whenever I asked. Such bullshit and I there was nothing I could do to make it better. At least not that she was aware of, but I would make damn sure Bella got the wedding she truly wanted – big or small.

"Mr. Cullen?" the driver asked, looking at me in the rearview mirror. "Everything okay, sir?"

"It's fine," I answered tersely.

"Are you sure? We can… go, if you'd like."

"No." I smiled. "Definitely not going anywhere. At least, not yet."

Finally, a limo pulled up in front of us and I snapped my head in its direction. The door opened and I held my breath. A blonde head emerged first, followed by a dark one—Rosalie and Alice. They both looked beautiful in forest green one-shoulder dresses, but they weren't who I was waiting for.

I let out a low growl, my frustration getting the best of me. "Come on, baby," I whispered. After handing her yellow calla lily bouquet to Alice, Rose held a hand out in assistance and Bella placed hers in it. The diamond ring on the third finger of Bella's hand flashed in the sunlight, and even though it had been a year, I remembered how fucking fantastic it felt to be the one to put it there.

* * *

_I stared at the ring I'd just picked up one last time before heading into the house. A two-carat oval diamond with smaller round diamonds circling it and embedded into the platinum band; it would look perfect on Bella's hand. I couldn't fucking wait to give it to her. I snapped the box shut and put it in my pocket. I just needed the patience to make sure I planned everything out so the proposal would be exactly as she had dreamed._

_I walked into our home, the smell of Bella's cooking hitting me and making my mouth water. "Hey, beautiful girl! I'm home," I called out to her._

"_In the kitchen," she yelled back. _

_I smiled as I approached, touching the velvet box once more and feeling anxious to take that next step with her._

"_Oh, my God, Alice is driving me absolutely crazy with all her wedding planning! I swear that girl loses her mind when it comes to things like that. At least Emmett and Rose had the decency to elope in Vegas," she complained when I entered._

"_I'm sorry, baby. What is it now?"_

"_She can't decide whether to go with tulle or organza to wrap the bouquets in and she has to let the florist know by the end of the week. Seriously, she is freaking out over something that no one is going to notice, and I was on the phone with her for an hour listening to her debate the two fabrics!" she answered, gesturing with the wooden spoon she was cooking with. _

_I walked up and wrapped my arms around her from behind. She leaned against me and sighed, lifting her face for a kiss. After obliging her, I looked down to check out what was on the stove._

"_Beef stroganoff?" I excitedly asked._

"_Yep, your favorite." She smiled at me before stirring the sauce. With her left hand. I pictured what the ring would look like on her again and grinned like a fool. Suddenly, I literally couldn't wait any longer. It had already been four years since we started dating, what the fuck was I stalling for?_

_I gently tugged on the ends of her hair. "Bellllaaa," I sang._

"_Edwaaard," she mimicked and chuckled._

_I stuck my head over her shoulder. "Looks like you're missing something."_

_She frowned and examined the food. "What are you talking about? I have this recipe memorized, and I didn't forget anything."_

_I pulled the ring out of the box and held it in front of her. "I meant on your hand," I said softly. Bella gasped and looked from it to me and back again. "I love you, Isabella, more than life itself. Will you marry me?"_

_She screamed and threw her arms around my neck, making me stumble backward a few feet and lose my grip on the ring. "Oh, shit!" I exclaimed as I caught her. _

"_Yes! Oh, my God, Edward! Of course I'll marry you!" Bella squealed and peppered kisses all over my face._

"_Bella, the r—" I started but stopped short when she pressed her face into my neck and started bawling. "Baby, why are you crying like this? I know a few tears are normal, but this seems like a bit much." I ran my hands soothingly up and down her back._

"_Y-y-you want t-to marry me," she hiccupped. "I didn't think y-you actually wanted t-to."_

"_Why would you believe I didn't want to? I love you! I've always wanted to marry you, Bella. I've told you that countless times before."_

_She rubbed her nose on my shirt and looked up at me with red-rimmed and watery eyes. "It's been four years, Edward. Four. Years. Rose and Emmett are married; Alice and Jasper are a few weeks from it; and Seth and Makenna are having a baby! You always hint at it, but you've never asked. I sort of thought it wasn't going to happen."_

"_Bella, I… shit. Hold on." I reached around her and used the spoon to fish out her ring from the stroganoff and turned off the stove._

_She turned and saw the ring covered in sauce and a look of horror crossed her face. "Oh, my God!" she yelled and grabbed it. She ran to the sink and started washing furiously._

_I approached and put one hand over hers while the other wiped at the tears still slowly falling down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, love. I guess I was just trying to wait for the right time. We had to finish undergrad, and then you started grad school and your new job as an assistant editor. Plus, I was starting out with the Bears. Even now, I had these plans for some big, romantic proposal, but I had the ring, and I couldn't wait anymore. I never meant to make you doubt me, to doubt us."_

_She looked at me with a small smile. "You really want to marry me?"_

"_More than anything." I cupped her cheek softly. "Are you sure you want me?"_

_Bella practically glowed with happiness. "Yes. I most definitely do, Edward Cullen."_

_Relief flooded through me and I slipped the ring onto her finger. I looked down and it was exactly how I pictured it: Absolutely perfect._

* * *

Bella stepped out of the car. All the air left my lungs at once and I felt my heart ache at the sight of her. She was fucking glorious. Her hair fell in soft, shiny waves around her shoulders with one side held up with a small cluster of flowers. The white dress she wore was breathtaking on her. It was strapless and fitted until it flared at her knees, made of delicate-looking lace and a dark green ribbon at her waist that matched the bridesmaids' dresses.

The waiting paparazzi went nuts. They began snapping photo after photo and hurling questions at her. She gave them a quick glance and then looked back at Rose and Alice while rolling her eyes in exasperation. Alice said something to her and Bella nodded softly and tilted her face down to examine her bouquet of white freesias.

I willed her to look this way.

As if she could sense me, she suddenly turned in my direction. One look at her expression and that was all I needed to know. I stepped out of the town car and gave her my 'crooked smile' as she called it. Her whole face lit up, and before anyone knew what was happening, she was in my arms. Instantly, my whole body relaxed and I tightened my hold on her as she pulled me as close as possible.

I knew I had about ten seconds before the Wrath of Alice was unleashed on us. "Is this the wedding you truly want?" I whispered in her ear.

I felt her shake her head minutely. "No, but I'll go through with it as long as I end up married to you."

"Do you trust me?"

Bella pulled back slightly with a confused look on her face. "Of course I do."

I grinned at her; that was all I needed to know. I scooped her into my arms bridal-style, and with a small shriek from her, ducked back into the car.

"Go, just go!" I yelled and the driver took off. One glance out the back window showed an outraged Alice and a stunned but laughing Rosalie.

"Edward?" Bella asked, her eyes wide.

"One second, baby." I pulled out my phone and dialed Emmett. "Hey. Yeah, plan B is a go. Tell Jazz I'm sorry for what he'll have to face with Alice. See you when we get back from the honeymoon." Still smiling, I ended the call and tossed my phone on the seat. I gathered Bella into my lap and gave the driver our destination address. Then I raised the partition between us.

"Edward?" Bella said again and arched an eyebrow.

"I knew this wasn't your ideal ceremony. This isn't Alice's wedding; she already had her own huge, ridiculous production. She doesn't get to force you into that, too. I'm giving you what you and I talked about before all of this exploded." I kissed her deeply, thankful that she had kept her makeup natural. "And then we are going on our honeymoon where I'm going to ravish you for two weeks straight."

Her eyes darkened and she leaned forward to capture my lips again. I did my best to only kiss her and not let things get out of control, because I knew we would be arriving at our destination soon. I didn't want to mess up her hair and dress and have her get embarrassed in front of the few guests who would be at our wedding.

_Fuck_, it was so hard. _I_ was so hard. Just having her mouth on mine and tasting her again was making me crazy. It definitely didn't help that Bella was insistently wiggling her ass against my cock and letting out these little whimpers while tugging my hair. The girl knew how to get me desperate with need for her.

I let my hands wander a little and cupped her breasts. I loved how the fullness filled my palms, and I was rewarded with a groan from Bella as well as a harder push of her body against mine.

"Mmm, Edward," she moaned, and to my amazement, I got even harder at the sounds she made. If we didn't stop in the next few seconds, I was either going to destroy her dress in the process of burying myself inside her wet heat, or I was going to come in my pants. As appealing as the first option was, I knew I needed to get control of the situation. _Very _reluctantly, I pulled back and tried to make myself content with just holding Bella in my arms.

Luckily, it was only a few minutes later when we arrived. It was a small park with a secluded rose garden in the back that I'd gone to often as a kid. It was there that my parents, her dad, and Sue were waiting with a Justice of the Peace to marry us. I led her down the path to the garden, but she stopped.

Nibbling on her lip just a little, Bella gave me a nervous glance. "Edward, I want to marry you more than anything, but… my dad—"

"Is right here, sweetheart," Charlie interrupted as he walked up. "I'll get her to you in just a minute, Edward."

I nodded and smiled knowing both of them needed a moment alone together. "Of course." I bent my head and brushed my lips across her cheek. "I'll meet you at the altar, baby. I love you."

A shaky smiled crossed her face, and she looked at me with glistening eyes. "I love you, too," she whispered.

I turned and finished my way up the path, finding my parents and Sue waiting patiently with the officiant. A lone private photographer stood to the side, ready to capture the ceremony when the time came. They all smiled when I approached, and my mom squeezed me tightly when I reached the front.

"You look so handsome, Edward," she tearfully said. "I can't believe my baby is getting married! At least you had the good sense to pick a wonderful girl. Bella couldn't be more perfect for you."

"Thanks, Mom. I know I'm the luckiest guy in the world. She's exactly what I've always wanted in a girl, and I know she loves me for me and nothing else."

"She's pretty lucky, too," my dad added and hugged me, as well. "Are you sure you're ready to make this commitment?" he asked seriously.

I nodded. "You and mom were the best example of a happy marriage I could imagine. You two are soul mates, and I found mine with Bella. I can't wait to truly start our lives together."

Both of them beamed at me with pride, and my mom wiped at a fresh set of tears. "Good answer," he said before leading them over to where a small group of chairs had been placed.

I was ready. I'd been Bella's from the first time I laid eyes on her. More than just her obvious beauty, there was something so alluring about her. With every new thing I learned about her, the more I craved her. I would have gotten down on my knees and offered her my heart on our first date when I heard her speak with such disdain about football if it wouldn't have scared the hell out of her.

And now the day was finally here when she'd become Isabella Cullen. God, that sounded so fucking good. If I called her that every day for the rest of our lives, I didn't think it would ever lose its appeal.

"Are you ready to begin?" the Justice of the Peace asked and nodded his head toward the path. I looked down and saw Bella and Charlie waiting just about forty feet away.

"Absolutely," I breathed as I stared at my girl.

He must have given some kind of signal because they started walking forward and Bella's face transformed. She'd looked serene and happy before, but now she was glowing. The most breathtaking smile spread across her face and her eyes locked with mine, never once wavering. It took everything inside me to stay where I was and not rush to meet her.

Charlie placed her hand in mine and I felt the tension leave my body. She was here, with me, and we were finally getting married. The ceremony was simple and short, pledging to love and to cherish one another 'till death do us part with smiles on our faces. I kissed her hand after sliding the ring onto her finger, and she cried just a little when putting mine on.

Then he announced us husband and wife and it was time for our first married kiss. I slid one arm around her waist and lightly held the back of her head when she tilted her face up to me. I brushed my lips across hers once before pressing harder, and Bella sighed softly and leaned into me. She opened her mouth and our tongues met for a brief moment. I reluctantly pulled back when I heard applause from our parents and I rested my forehead against hers.

"My wife," I breathed and Bella beamed at me.

"My husband," she whispered and I grinned back at her.

Our parents came up and congratulated us before heading back to The Murphy for the reception armed with a video of the ceremony from a camera that had been set up off to the side. They would show it to all of our guests during the two hundred dollar a person dinner that was planned. Bella and I were headed to The Drake to spend the night in their Princess Diana Suite before taking off for Tahiti for two weeks.

I had Bella snuggled close to me as we made our way across the lobby. I felt the stares of the other guests as they watched us, but my gaze didn't wander for a second from her. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a flurry of activity from a small group of paps who had obviously been expecting us. At least it wasn't the huge gathering it would have been if I hadn't registered at four other hotels. I couldn't quite feel bad about the others who would be waiting for our arrival at them.

"Checking in?" a brightly smiling young woman asked from behind the desk. Her eyes roamed over me appreciatively. "Mr. Cullen, correct?"

"Yes," I told her and looked at Bella. "Mr. and _Mrs._ Cullen." I brushed my fingertips down her cheek and her smile was radiant. She was glowing with happiness, and the caveman inside me roared from knowing that was because of me.

"Oh," the receptionist said, her face falling slightly. She shot Bella an envious look. "Congratulations," she added flatly.

"Thank you," Bella murmured, completely oblivious to the other woman's attitude.

She gave us our key and we headed over to the elevator. Bella laughed good-naturedly at the questions thrown at us from the reporters, and neither of us stopped to pose for pictures. Finally, we were outside the door to the suite and I swept my bride into my arms and walked inside.

"Oh, Edward! This is gorgeous," Bella exclaimed, looking around. It was beautifully decorated in golds and blues, with dark wood accents, but I didn't care about any of that. All I wanted was in my arms. Now, to get her naked and writhing beneath me.

"Want a drink?" I asked.

She smiled at me. "Sure."

I walked us over to the dining room table where my surprise was waiting for us. I gently lowered her legs to the floor, sliding her down my body. Bella made a purring noise and kept herself pressed against me for a moment before turning around. I draped my arms loosely around her waist; the need to touch her was overwhelming.

"Oh, my God! Are those Mexican Martinis from Trudy's? And Freebirds' burritos? And a miniature replica of our wedding cake?" she squealed excitedly.

I chuckled and nodded. "I didn't want us to completely miss out on our reception, but I made a few adjustments to the menu. I had a couple things specially flown in."

Bella whirled around and threw her arms around my neck. "You are the best husband ever!" I grinned and dipped my head to kiss her—it felt damn good to hear her call me her husband.

"Hungry, baby?" I asked once we stopped kissing.

Her dark chocolate eyes dilated. "Starving," she answered in a low, husky voice.

"Me, too," I whispered and swung her into my arms again. I strode into the bedroom and set her down before kissing her senseless. Once I had Bella trembling against me and whimpering in my mouth, I reached around her and slowly lowered the zipper to her dress.

The silky white fabric pooled at her feet and my breath caught as I saw my gorgeous wife clad in a delicate, lacy bra and panty set with matching thigh high stockings. My eyes zeroed in on her right hip. I let out a low growl and Bella smiled. There, across from her Longhorn tattoo, was one of the Chicago Bears' "C" symbol.

"Bella," I said in a gravelly voice.

"It's your wedding present," she whispered, and I grabbed and pulled her close. I bent and began licking and nipping along her neck, across her collarbones, and down the tops of her breasts. My hands lightly caressed her waist and hips before tracing patterns on her thighs. She let out a throaty moan and my cock twitched.

Bella began pushing at my jacket and I slipped it from my arms while she went to work on the buttons on my shirt. I pressed my lips back to her breasts, then unhooked her bra and threw it behind me. I cupped them and gently sucked one nipple into my mouth. I swirled my tongue around the hard bud and relished in the feel of Bella's fingers tangling in my hair and gripping the locks tightly. The little sounds and noises she was making caused my already hard cock to border on almost painful. It had been so fucking long since we'd been together like this, I was hanging onto my control by a thread.

I yanked off the loosened shirt while Bella went to work on the fly of my pants. I hooked my fingers over the top of her panties and slid them down. I knew as soon as Bella put her hands on me that I'd be a goner, so I gently nudged her toward the bed and lay her across it.

"_Fuck_," I groaned at seeing her flushed, panting with desire, and spread out for me.

I snapped when she whimpered my name. I found myself between her thighs as I licked and twirled my tongue around her clit before dipping down to taste her. I closed my eyes and moaned as her tangy essence danced across my taste buds.

_Way too fucking long._

I relished in the mewls and cries of pleasure coming from Bella while I continued my assault on her sweet pussy. I traced my name on her clit with the tip of my tongue and pumped two fingers inside her, searching out and finding that spot guaranteed to make her come.

"God, yes, Edward!" Bella yelled as I felt her flutter around my fingers, and I lapped at the fresh rush of wetness. "Please, baby, I need you. _Now_," she whimpered.

I growled against her slick flesh and was rewarded with another moan. I kicked off my pants, so desperate to be inside her that it was painful.

I leaned down and kissed Bella deeply as she lifted her arms around my neck. Her legs shifted around my waist and I slid my cock into her. We both groaned with the feeling of finally being joined together again.

"Goddamn, baby. I don't think you've ever felt so incredible." I marveled at her tight, wet heat surrounding me. I held still, to try to give myself a moment to adjust, but Bella was having none of it. She pushed her hips against mine and gave this sexy growly noise to demand I move.

I started to slide in and out of her sweet pussy, making love to her the best I knew how. I caressed her body with my hands, kissed the places guaranteed to drive her crazy, and thrust into her with the exact intensity and angle needed to give my girl the most pleasure possible.

I had to grit my teeth and fight not to come as everything she did drove me closer and closer to the edge. Each sound and every touch of her hands on my body made me crazy, and the dripping wetness of her core wrapped around me had me shaking from holding back my release.

"God, yes, Edward! So, so good. Ungh, you feel amazing, baby. I'm close already. Please don't stop," she begged, and I pushed harder into her. Her pussy clenched around my cock and I felt my eyes roll back.

"Fuck, Bella. You're… _fuck,_ so wet and tight. Love being inside you," I panted and then nipped at the spot behind her ear that caused her to scream out. The sensation was overwhelming as a flood of wetness coated my cock. I roared her name and bit down on a pillow as her pussy pulsed around me and I came so hard that colors danced across my vision.

I collapsed onto her for a moment, trying to catch my breath. I nuzzled my nose against Bella's neck and pressed a soft kiss to her slowing pulse. Suddenly, she started laughing.

I opened my eyes and lifted up to look at her. "What's so funny, beautiful girl?"

She grinned up at me. "I'm going to murder Alice. I can't believe I let her keep us apart for this long. Never again will we go for this amount of time without making love. I really could kill that annoying pixie for this. I could cry from how phenomenal that felt."

I felt my own lazy smile cross my face. "I'll be right there to help you, baby. If I had my way, we wouldn't spend another night apart for the rest of our lives." I leaned in to kiss her before rolling onto my side and cuddling her close. "My wife," I whispered against her temple.

_Mine._

Finally, this gorgeous, sweet, amazing woman was really and truly mine. The love shining in her eyes was undeniable and my breath caught from it. Bella didn't give a shit about my money, or fame, or anything else she could use me for. She loved me for me. She loved me in spite of all of that, and I worshipped her for it. No one else had ever come close to capturing my heart the way she had, and I would literally do anything for her. And now, for the rest of our lives, I would be lucky enough to call her my wife, to wake up to her beautiful smile each morning, and fall asleep with her in my arms every night. If I had nothing else in this world, I would still be the happiest man alive as long as I had her.

Damn, I was a lucky bastard.

I drifted my fingers down her waist to trace her latest tattoo. Bella gave me a knowing smirk.

"What? It's really hot." I shrugged, not at all contrite about my blatant staring.

"You better enjoy it, because that's the last one I'm getting. You change teams and you're out of luck."

I laughed. "Deal. Just as long as I always have you."

Bella leaned up to kiss me softly.

"I'm definitely yours."

* * *

**There you have it. Love it or hate it, let me know. I promise to respond to all reviews for this chapter! If I can get my ass in gear, I'll hopefully be submitting a story for the Age of Edward contest in the next week. Even if I don't make the deadline, I'll post what I've come up with because I want to write this story. Put me on alert if you want to know when I post new stories. Do you want more light and fluffy or something with more drama/angst for the next multi-chapter? Let me know! LOVE YOU ALL!  
**


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